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Regnier SD, Lile JA, Rush CR, Stoops WW. Clinical neuropharmacology of cocaine reinforcement: A narrative review of human laboratory self-administration studies. J Exp Anal Behav 2022; 117:420-441. [PMID: 35229294 PMCID: PMC9090960 DOI: 10.1002/jeab.744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Cocaine use is an unrelenting public health concern. To inform intervention and prevention efforts, it is crucial to develop an understanding of the clinical neuropharmacology of the reinforcing effects of cocaine. The purpose of this review is to evaluate and synthesize human laboratory studies that assess pharmacological manipulations of cocaine self-administration. Forty-one peer-reviewed, human cocaine self-administration studies in which participants received a pretreatment drug were assessed. The pharmacological action and treatment regimen for all drugs reviewed were considered. Drugs that increase extracellular dopamine tend to have the most consistent effects on cocaine self-administration. The ability of nondopaminergic drugs to impact cocaine reinforcement might be related to their downstream effects on dopamine, though it is difficult to draw conclusions because pharmacologically selective compounds are not widely available for human testing. The ability of acute versus chronic drug treatment to differentially affect human cocaine self-administration was not determined because buprenorphine was the only pretreatment drug that was assessed under both acute and chronic dosing regimens. Future research directly comparing acute and chronic drug treatment and/or comparing drugs with different mechanisms of action, is needed to make more conclusive determinations about the clinical neuropharmacology of cocaine reinforcement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean D Regnier
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
| | - Joshua A Lile
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences
| | - Craig R Rush
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences
| | - William W Stoops
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences.,Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky College of Medicine
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2
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Keegan BM, Dreitzler AL, Sexton T, Beveridge TJR, Smith HR, Miller MD, Blough BE, Porrino LJ, Childers SR, Howlett AC. Chronic phenmetrazine treatment promotes D 2 dopaminergic and α2-adrenergic receptor desensitization and alters phosphorylation of signaling proteins and local cerebral glucose metabolism in the rat brain. Brain Res 2021; 1761:147387. [PMID: 33631209 PMCID: PMC8552242 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Phenmetrazine (PHEN) is a putative treatment for cocaine and psychostimulant recidivism; however, neurochemical changes underlying its activity have not been fully elucidated. We sought to characterize brain homeostatic adaptations to chronic PHEN, specifically on functional brain activity (local cerebral glucose utilization), G-Protein Coupled Receptor-stimulated G-protein activation, and phosphorylation of ERK1/2Thr202/Tyr204, GSK3βTyr216, and DARPP-32Thr34. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with sub-cutaneous minipumps delivering either saline (vehicle), acute (2-day) or chronic (14-day) low dose (25 mg/kg/day) or high dose (50 mg/kg/day) PHEN. Acute administration of high dose PHEN increased local cerebral glucose utilization measured by 2-[14C]-deoxyglucose uptake in basal ganglia and motor-related regions of the rat brain. However, chronically treated animals developed tolerance to these effects. To identify the neurochemical changes associated with PHEN's activity, we performed [35S]GTPγS binding assays on unfixed and immunohistochemistry on fixed coronal brain sections. Chronic PHEN treatment dose-dependently attenuated D2 dopamine and α2-adrenergic, but not 5-HT1A, receptor-mediated G-protein activation. Two distinct patterns of effects on pERK1/2 and pDARPP-32 were observed: 1) chronic low dose PHEN decreased pERK1/2, and also significantly increased pDARPP-32 levels in some regions; 2) acute and chronic PHEN increased pERK1/2, but chronic high dose PHEN treatment tended to decrease pDARPP-32. Chronic low dose, but not high dose, PHEN significantly reduced pGSK3β levels in several regions. Our study provides definitive evidence that extended length PHEN dosage schedules elicit distinct modes of neuronal acclimatization in cellular signaling. These pharmacodynamic modifications should be considered in drug development for chronic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley M Keegan
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Annie L Dreitzler
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Tammy Sexton
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Thomas J R Beveridge
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Hilary R Smith
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Mack D Miller
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Bruce E Blough
- Center for Drug Discovery, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Linda J Porrino
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Steven R Childers
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA
| | - Allyn C Howlett
- Center for the Neurobiology of Addiction Treatment, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.
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3
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Minkiewicz M, Czoty PW, Blough BE, Nader MA. Evaluation of the Reinforcing Strength of Phendimetrazine Using a Progressive-Ratio Schedule of Reinforcement in Rhesus Monkeys. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2020; 374:1-5. [PMID: 32269168 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.120.264952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimulant abuse is a persistent public health problem with no Food and Drug Administration-approved pharmacotherapy. Although monoamine-releasing drugs such as d-amphetamine can decrease cocaine self-administration in human and animal laboratory studies, their potential for abuse limits clinical utility. "Abuse-deterrent" formulations of monoamine releasers, such as prodrugs, hold greater clinical promise if their abuse potential is, as theorized, lower than that of cocaine. In these studies, we determined the reinforcing strength of phendimetrazine (PDM), a prodrug for the amphetamine-like monoamine releaser phenmetrazine; both drugs have been shown to decrease cocaine self-administration in laboratory animals. To date, no study has directly compared PDM (Schedule III) with cocaine (Schedule II) under progressive-ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement, which are better suited than fixed-ratio schedules to directly compare reinforcing strength of drugs. Dose-response curves for cocaine (saline, 0.001-0.3 mg/kg per injection) and PDM (0.1-1.0 mg/kg per injection) were generated in six cocaine-experienced male rhesus monkeys during 4-hour sessions with a 20-minute limited hold (LH). Under these conditions, the maximum number of injections was not significantly different between cocaine and PDM. The reinforcing strength of doses situated on the peaks of the cocaine and PDM dose-effect curves were redetermined with a 60-minute LH. The mean number of injections increased for both drugs, but not for saline. Cocaine presentations resulted in significantly higher peak injections than PDM with a 60-minute LH, which is consistent with the lower scheduling of PDM. These results support PDM as Schedule III and highlight the importance of schedule parameters when comparing reinforcing strength of drugs using a PR schedule of reinforcement. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: One strategy for reducing cocaine use is to identify a treatment that substitutes for cocaine but has lower abuse potential. In a rhesus monkey model of drug abuse, this study compared the reinforcing strength of cocaine and phendimetrazine, a drug that has been shown to decrease cocaine use in some studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Minkiewicz
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (M.M., P.W.C., M.A.N.) and Discovery Sciences, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B.)
| | - Paul W Czoty
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (M.M., P.W.C., M.A.N.) and Discovery Sciences, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B.)
| | - Bruce E Blough
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (M.M., P.W.C., M.A.N.) and Discovery Sciences, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B.)
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina (M.M., P.W.C., M.A.N.) and Discovery Sciences, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (B.E.B.)
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4
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Regier PS, Kampman KM, Childress AR. Clinical Trials for Stimulant Use Disorders: Addressing Heterogeneities That May Undermine Treatment Outcomes. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2020; 258:299-322. [PMID: 32193666 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, use of cocaine and amphetamines and deaths associated with stimulants have been on the rise, and there are still no FDA-approved medications for stimulant use disorders. One contributing factor may involve heterogeneity. At the neurobiological level, dual dopamine dysfunction may be undermining medication efficacy, suggesting a need for combination pharmacotherapies. At the population level, individual variability is expressed in a number of ways and, if left unaddressed, may interfere with medication efficacy. This chapter reviews studies investigating medications to address dopamine dysfunction, and it also identifies several prominent heterogeneities associated with stimulant (and other substance) use disorders. The chapter has implications for improving interventions to treat stimulant use disorders, and the theme of individual heterogeneity may have broader application across substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul S Regier
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Kyle M Kampman
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna Rose Childress
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Studies of Addiction, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Stoops WW, Strickland JC, Alcorn JL, Hays LR, Rayapati AO, Lile JA, Rush CR. Influence of phendimetrazine maintenance on the reinforcing, subjective, performance, and physiological effects of intranasal cocaine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2569-2577. [PMID: 30900008 PMCID: PMC6697562 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05227-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE No pharmacotherapies are approved for cocaine use disorder. Phendimetrazine, a prodrug of the monoamine-releaser phenmetrazine, attenuates the reinforcing effects of cocaine in preclinical models, has minimal abuse potential, and is safe when combined with cocaine. OBJECTIVES This study determined the influence of phendimetrazine maintenance on the reinforcing effects of cocaine (i.e., choice to self-administer cocaine), along with the subjective, performance, and physiological effects of cocaine. We hypothesized that phendimetrazine would attenuate the reinforcing effects of cocaine. METHODS Twenty-nine subjects with cocaine use disorder completed this within-subject, inpatient study. The subjects were maintained on placebo and 210 mg phendimetrazine in a counterbalanced order. After at least 7 days of maintenance on the target dose, the subjects completed experimental sessions in which the effects of single doses of 0, 20, 40, and 80 mg of intranasal cocaine were determined. RESULTS Cocaine functioned as a reinforcer, producing significant dose-related increases in self-administration. Cocaine increased prototypic effects (e.g., ratings of stimulated and blood pressure). Phendimetrazine attenuated ratings on a select set of subjective outcomes (e.g., ratings of talkative/friendly), but failed to reduce the reinforcing effects of cocaine or a majority of positive subjective cocaine effects. Phendimetrazine increased heart rate, indicating a physiologically active dose was tested, but heart rate increases were not clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that although phendimetrazine can safely be combined with cocaine, it does not attenuate the abuse-related effects of cocaine. It is unlikely, then, that phendimetrazine will be an effective standalone treatment for cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- William W. Stoops
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, U.S.A.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 245 Fountain Court, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, U.S.A.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, U.S.A.,Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 845 Angliana Ave, Lexington, KY 40508, U.S.A.,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building, Room 140, Lexington, KY 40536-0086. Telephone: +1 (859) 257-5388. Facsimile: +1 (859) 257-7684. Electronic mail may be sent to
| | - Justin C. Strickland
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, U.S.A
| | - Joseph L. Alcorn
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, U.S.A
| | - Lon R. Hays
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 245 Fountain Court, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, U.S.A
| | - Abner O. Rayapati
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 245 Fountain Court, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, U.S.A
| | - Joshua A. Lile
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, U.S.A.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 245 Fountain Court, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, U.S.A.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, U.S.A
| | - Craig R. Rush
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 1100 Veterans Drive, Medical Behavioral Science Building, Lexington, KY 40536-0086, U.S.A.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, 245 Fountain Court, Lexington, KY 40509-1810, U.S.A.,Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, 171 Funkhouser Drive, Lexington, KY 40506-0044, U.S.A
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6
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Effects of stimulation of mu opioid and nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide (NOP) receptors on alcohol drinking in rhesus monkeys. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1476-1484. [PMID: 30970376 PMCID: PMC6784996 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0390-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) persists as a devastating public health problem; widely effective pharmacological treatments are needed. Evidence from rodent models suggests that stimulating brain receptors for the neuropeptide nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) can decrease ethanol drinking. We characterized the effects of the mu opioid peptide (MOP) receptor agonist buprenorphine and the buprenorphine analog (2S)-2-[(5R,6R,7R,14S)-N-cyclopropylmethyl-4,5-epoxy-6,14-ethano-3-hydroxy-6 methoxymorphinan-7-yl]-3,3-dimethylpentan-2-ol (BU08028), which stimulates MOP and NOP receptors, in a translational nonhuman primate model of AUD. Rhesus monkeys drank a 4% ethanol solution 6 h per day, 5 days per week via an operant behavioral panel in their home cages. To assess behavioral selectivity, monkeys responded via a photo-optic switch to earn food pellets. After characterizing the acute effects of BU08028 (0.001-0.01 mg/kg, i.m.) and buprenorphine (0.003-0.056 mg/kg, i.m.), the drugs were administered chronically using a model of pharmacotherapy assessment that incorporates clinical aspects of AUD and treatment. Acutely, both drugs decreased ethanol drinking at doses that did not affect food-maintained responding. During chronic treatment, effects of BU08028 and buprenorphine were maintained for several weeks without development of tolerance or emergence of adverse effects. BU08028 was ~0.5 and 1.0 log units more potent in acute and chronic studies, respectively. The selective NOP receptor agonist SCH 221510 also selectively decreased ethanol intakes when given acutely (0.03-1.0 mg/kg, i.m.), whereas the MOP antagonist naltrexone (1.7-5.6 mg/kg, i.m.) decreased both ethanol intake and food pellets delivered. These data demonstrate that bifunctional MOP/NOP agonists, which may have therapeutic advantages to MOP-selective drugs, can decrease alcohol drinking in nonhuman primates.
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7
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Abstract
There is a plethora of amphetamine derivatives exerting stimulant, euphoric, anti-fatigue, and hallucinogenic effects; all structural properties allowing these effects are contained within the amphetamine structure. In the first part of this review, the interaction of amphetamine with the dopamine transporter (DAT), crucially involved in its behavioral effects, is covered, as well as the role of dopamine synthesis, the vesicular monoamine transporter VMAT2, and organic cation 3 transporter (OCT3). The second part deals with requirements in amphetamine's effect on the kinases PKC, CaMKII, and ERK, whereas the third part focuses on where we are in developing anti-amphetamine therapeutics. Thus, treatments are discussed that target DAT, VMAT2, PKC, CaMKII, and OCT3. As is generally true for the development of therapeutics for substance use disorder, there are multiple preclinically promising specific compounds against (meth)amphetamine, for which further development and clinical trials are badly needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maarten E A Reith
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Margaret E Gnegy
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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8
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McLaughlin G, Baumann MH, Kavanagh PV, Morris N, Power JD, Dowling G, Twamley B, O’Brien J, Hessman G, Westphal F, Walther D, Brandt SD. Synthesis, analytical characterization, and monoamine transporter activity of the new psychoactive substance 4-methylphenmetrazine (4-MPM), with differentiation from its ortho- and meta- positional isomers. Drug Test Anal 2018; 10:1404-1416. [PMID: 29673128 PMCID: PMC7316143 DOI: 10.1002/dta.2396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The availability of new psychoactive substances (NPS) on the recreational drug market continues to create challenges for scientists in the forensic, clinical and toxicology fields. Phenmetrazine (3-methyl-2-phenylmorpholine) and an array of its analogs form a class of psychostimulants that are well documented in the patent and scientific literature. The present study reports on two phenmetrazine analogs that have been encountered on the NPS market following the introduction of 3-fluorophenmetrazine (3-FPM), namely 4-methylphenmetrazine (4-MPM), and 3-methylphenmetrazine (3-MPM). This study describes the syntheses, analytical characterization, and pharmacological evaluation of the positional isomers of MPM. Analytical characterizations employed various chromatographic, spectroscopic, and mass spectrometric platforms. Pharmacological studies were conducted to assess whether MPM isomers might display stimulant-like effects similar to the parent compound phenmetrazine. The isomers were tested for their ability to inhibit uptake or stimulate release of tritiated substrates at dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin transporters using in vitro transporter assays in rat brain synaptosomes. The analytical characterization of three vendor samples revealed the presence of 4-MPM in two of the samples and 3-MPM in the third sample, which agreed with the product label. The pharmacological findings suggest that 2-MPM and 3-MPM will exhibit stimulant properties similar to the parent compound phenmetrazine, whereas 4-MPM may display entactogen properties more similar to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). The combination of test purchases, analytical characterization, targeted organic synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of NPS and their isomers is an effective approach for the provision of data on these substances as they emerge in the marketplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, Dublin 8, D08W9RT, Ireland
- Forensic Science Ireland, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, D08HN3X, Ireland
| | - Michael H. Baumann
- Designer Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Pierce V. Kavanagh
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, Dublin 8, D08W9RT, Ireland
| | - Noreen Morris
- Department of Life & Physical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Athlone Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, N37HD68, Ireland
| | - John D. Power
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, Dublin 8, D08W9RT, Ireland
- Forensic Science Ireland, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8, D08HN3X, Ireland
| | - Geraldine Dowling
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James’s Hospital, James’s Street, Dublin 8, D08W9RT, Ireland
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, Sligo Institute of Technology, Ash Lane, Sligo, F91YW50, Ireland
| | - Brendan Twamley
- School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, D02EV57, Ireland
| | - John O’Brien
- School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, D02EV57, Ireland
| | - Gary Hessman
- School of Chemistry, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, D02EV57, Ireland
| | - Folker Westphal
- State Bureau of Criminal Investigation Schleswig-Holstein, Section Narcotics/Toxicology, Mühlenweg 166, D-24116 Kiel, Germany
| | - Donna Walther
- Designer Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Simon D. Brandt
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
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9
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Antinori S, Fattore L, Saba P, Fratta W, Gessa GL, Devoto P. Levodopa prevents the reinstatement of cocaine self-administration in rats via potentiation of dopamine release in the medial prefrontal cortex. Addict Biol 2018; 23:556-568. [PMID: 28429835 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 03/07/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine agonists have been proposed as therapeutic tools for cocaine addiction. We have recently demonstrated that indirect dopamine agonists, including levodopa (L-DOPA), markedly increase cocaine-induced dopamine release in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats leading to the suppression of cocaine-seeking behavior. This study was aimed to understand the behavioral and neurochemical effects of L-DOPA on cocaine-taking and cocaine-seeking in rats. After reaching a stable pattern of intravenous cocaine self-administration under a continuous fixed ratio (FR-1) schedule of reinforcement, male rats were treated with L-DOPA at different steps of the self-administration protocol. We found that L-DOPA reduced cocaine self-administration under FR-1 schedule of reinforcement and decreased the breaking points and the amount of cocaine self-administered under the progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. Levodopa also decreased cocaine-seeking behavior both in a saline substitution test and in the cue priming-induced reinstatement test, without affecting general motor activity. Importantly, L-DOPA greatly potentiated cocaine-induced dopamine release in the mPFC of self-administering rats while reducing their cocaine intake. In the same brain area, L-DOPA also increased dopamine levels during cue priming-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. The potentiating effect was also evident in the mPFC but not nucleus accumbens core of drug-naïve rats passively administered with cocaine. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that L-DOPA efficaciously reduces the reinforcing and motivational effects of cocaine likely potentiating dopamine transmission in the mPFC. Its ability to prevent cue priming-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking suggests that it might be effective in reducing the risk to relapse to cocaine in abstinent patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Antinori
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Cagliari; Italy
| | - Liana Fattore
- Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari; National Research Council (CNR); Italy
- Center of Excellence ‘Neurobiology of Addiction’; University of Cagliari; Italy
| | - Pierluigi Saba
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Cagliari; Italy
| | - Walter Fratta
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Cagliari; Italy
- Center of Excellence ‘Neurobiology of Addiction’; University of Cagliari; Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Gessa
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Cagliari; Italy
- Institute of Neuroscience-Cagliari; National Research Council (CNR); Italy
- ‘Guy Everett Laboratory’; University of Cagliari; Italy
| | - Paola Devoto
- Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences; University of Cagliari; Italy
- Center of Excellence ‘Neurobiology of Addiction’; University of Cagliari; Italy
- ‘Guy Everett Laboratory’; University of Cagliari; Italy
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10
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Johnson AR, Banks ML, Blough BE, Lile JA, Nicholson KL, Negus SS. Development of a translational model to screen medications for cocaine use disorder I: Choice between cocaine and food in rhesus monkeys. Drug Alcohol Depend 2016; 165:103-10. [PMID: 27264165 PMCID: PMC4939093 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2016] [Revised: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Homologous cocaine self-administration procedures in laboratory animals and humans may facilitate translational research for medications development to treat cocaine dependence. This study, therefore, sought to establish choice between cocaine and an alternative reinforcer in rhesus monkeys responding under a procedure back-translated from previous human studies and homologous to a human laboratory procedure described in a companion paper. METHODS Four rhesus monkeys with chronic indwelling intravenous catheters had access to cocaine injections (0, 0.043, 0.14, or 0.43mg/kg/injection) and food (0, 1, 3, or 10 1g banana-flavored food pellets). During daily 5h sessions, a single cocaine dose and a single food-reinforcer magnitude were available in 10 30-min trials. During the initial "sample" trial, the available cocaine and food reinforcer were delivered non-contingently. During each of the subsequent nine "choice" trials, responding could produce either the cocaine or food reinforcer under an independent concurrent progressive-ratio schedule. RESULTS Preference was governed by the cocaine dose and food-reinforcer magnitude, and increasing cocaine doses produced dose-dependent increases in cocaine choice at all food-reinforcer magnitudes. Effects of the candidate medication lisdexamfetamine (0.32-3.2mg/kg/day) were then examined on choice between 0.14mg/kg/injection cocaine and 10 pellets. Under baseline conditions, this reinforcer pair maintained an average of approximately 6 cocaine and 3 food choices. Lisdexamfetamine dose-dependently decreased cocaine choice in all monkeys, but food choice was not significantly altered. CONCLUSIONS These results support utility of this procedure in rhesus monkeys as one component of a platform for translational research on medications development to treat cocaine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy R. Johnson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Matthew L. Banks
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - Bruce E. Blough
- Center for Drug Discovery, Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Joshua A. Lile
- Departments of Behavioral Science, Psychiatry, and Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
| | - Katherine L. Nicholson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
| | - S. Stevens Negus
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
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