Discriminative stimulus effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and delta 9-11-tetrahydrocannabinol in rats and rhesus monkeys.
J L Wiley, R L Barrett, D T Britt, R L Balster, B R Martin
Neuropharmacology April 1993 DOI: 10.1016/0028-3908(93)90157-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Animal drug-discrimination study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rats and rhesus monkeys trained to discriminate delta 9-THC from vehicle |
| Interventions | Delta 9-11-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-11-THC) delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC) |
| Topics | Cannabis |
| Key points | Delta 9-11-THC substituted for delta 9-THC in both rats and monkeys but was less potent, with a greater potency difference in monkeys. It did not block the delta 9-THC cue in rats and showed no dose-responsive inhibition in monkeys, suggesting it has no antagonistic properties in the drug-discrimination paradigm. |
Abstract
Previous reports have suggested that delta 9-11-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-11-THC), an exocyclic analog of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC), may have weak agonist effects as well as antagonistic properties. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of delta 9-11-THC in substitution and antagonism tests in rats and in rhesus monkeys trained to discriminate delta 9-THC from vehicle in two-lever drug-discrimination procedures. The substitution studies showed that delta 9-11-THC generalizes from the training dose of delta 9-THC in rats and in monkeys, although it was less potent in both species. The magnitude of the potency difference was greater in monkeys than in rats. When administered immediately following injection with the training dose of delta 9-THC, delta 9-11-THC failed to block the delta 9-THC cue in rats and showed a lack of dose-responsive inhibition in monkeys. These results suggest that delta 9-11-THC is devoid of antagonistic properties in the drug discrimination paradigm.