Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol: Drug discrimination abuse liability testing in female Lister Hooded rats: Trials, tribulations and triumphs.
Journal of pharmacological and toxicological methods January 1, 2020 S S Rowton, B A Rocha, I E Porter
Ten female rats were trained to distinguish the effects of Δ9-THC from no drug. Once trained, they received various doses of Δ9-THC, followed by amphetamine, morphine, midazolam, and three synthetic cannabinoids (WIN55,212-2, CP-47,497, and JWH-018). The non-cannabinoid drugs produced responses similar to the no-drug condition, confirming specificity. JWH-018 fully substituted for Δ9-THC, but WIN55,212-2 and CP-47,497 did not, contrary to some published findings. The authors question the reliability of drug discrimination and self-administration tests for assessing the abuse potential of novel cannabinoid-like drugs, given the unpredictable behavioral effects of cannabinoids in animals and humans.