The development and expression of locomotor sensitization to nicotine in the presence of ibogaine.
C Zubaran, M Shoaib, I P Stolerman
Behavioural Pharmacology August 1, 2000 DOI: 10.1097/00008877-200008000-00009 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Rats |
| Interventions | Ibogaine Nicotine |
| Dose | 0.0, 5.0 or 10 mg/kg i.p. ibogaine; 0.0 or 0.4 mg/kg s.c. nicotine |
| Duration | 21-day daily co-administration, followed by dose-response testing |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Psychoactive Addiction treatment Natural compound Nicotine sensitization Nicotine adaptation Enhanced physical reaction Physiological response Nicotine effect Addiction research Substance abuse Drug dependence Pharmacological study Preclinical study Rat model |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key points | Co-administration of ibogaine with nicotine over 21 days had no effect on the development or expression of sensitization to nicotine's locomotor stimulant effect in rats. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a naturally occurring psychoactive alkaloid with claimed efficacy in the treatment of certain drug addictions, including nicotine. It has been reported to be a non-competitive blocker of nicotinic receptors, with a potent inhibitory action on nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-mediated catecholamine release. We have investigated the effect of different doses of ibogaine on the development and expression of sensitization to the locomotor stimulant effect of nicotine in rats, a facilitatory process in which a history of exposure to nicotine results in enhanced locomotor activity when the same dose of nicotine is administered repeatedly. The effects were determined of co-administering ibogaine (0.0, 5.0 or 10 mg/kg i.p.) with nicotine (0.0 or 0.4 mg/kg s.c.) daily for 21 days. Dose-response curves for nicotine (0.04-0.8 mg/kg s.c.) were then determined in groups of 10 rats. There was clear sensitization of the locomotor activity produced by nicotine in photocell activity cages but co-administration of ibogaine with nicotine had no effect on the degree of sensitization. Ibogaine (5-20 mg/kg) itself did not influence locomotor activity and was also without effect on the expression of the sensitized response to 0.4 mg/kg of nicotine (n = 10). Thus, there was no evidence that ibogaine may retard or suppress sensitization to nicotine.