18-Methoxycoronardine attenuates nicotine-induced dopamine release and nicotine preferences in rats.
S D Glick, I M Maisonneuve, K E Visker, K A Fritz, U K Bandarage, M E Kuehne
Psychopharmacology October 1, 1998 DOI: 10.1007/s002130050716 via PubMed
Summary
Two animal experiments tested whether ibogaine and its synthetic version 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC) can block nicotine's effects in rats. Pretreatment with 18-MC significantly reduced nicotine-induced dopamine release in the brain's reward center, the nucleus accumbens. In a self-administration test, both compounds decreased rats' preference for nicotine for at least 24 hours. While ibogaine initially suppressed both nicotine and water intake, 18-MC selectively reduced nicotine consumption without affecting water intake. The results suggest 18-MC could be a prototype for a new smoking cessation treatment.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Preclinical animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Awake and freely moving rats |
| Keywords | Nicotine addiction treatment Smoking cessation Quit smoking Tobacco dependence treatment Anti-smoking therapy |
| Citations | 45 |
| Key finding | 18-MC attenuated nicotine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens and selectively reduced nicotine self-administration in rats without affecting water intake. |
Abstract
Two studies were conducted to assess, in vivo, potential anti-nicotinic effects of the iboga alkaloid ibogaine and its synthetic congener 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC). As previously demonstrated for ibogaine, using microdialysis, pretreatment (19h beforehand) with 18-MC (40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly attenuated nicotine-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens of awake and freely moving rats. In an oral model of nicotine self-administration, both ibogaine and 18-MC decreased rats' preferences for nicotine for at least 24 h. Acutely, during the first hour after administration, ibogaine depressed responding for water as well as for nicotine; however, during this same time, 18-MC reduced nicotine intake without affecting responding for water. The results suggest that 18-MC might be the prototype of a new treatment for smoking.