18-Methoxycoronardine attenuates nicotine-induced dopamine release and nicotine preferences in rats.
Psychopharmacology October 1, 1998 S D Glick, I M Maisonneuve, K E Visker et al. 45 citations
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.