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THE FAILURE OF p ‐CHLOROPHENYLALANINETO AFFECT VOLUNTARY ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION IN RATS
Author(s) -
HOLMAN R.B.,
HOYLAND VALERIE,
SHILLITO ELIZABETH E.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
british journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.432
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1476-5381
pISSN - 0007-1188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1975.tb07362.x
Subject(s) - alcohol , turnover , medicine , endocrinology , alcohol intake , serotonin , alcohol consumption , stomach , oral administration , anesthesia , chemistry , biochemistry , receptor , management , economics
1 The effects of p ‐chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) administered orally and intraperitoneally on rat brain 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) content were compared. The depletion of brain 5‐HT and 5‐HIAA following PCPA (316 mg/kg) injected intraperitoneally every third day was not significantly different from that following the administration of PCPA (316 mg/kg) by stomach tube on eight consecutive days. 2 Rats tested for alcohol preference before, during and after treatment with PCPA on two intraperitoneal dose regimens (either 316 mg/kg then 100 mg/kg four days later or 316 mg/kg three times at intervals of three days) showed no reduction in voluntary alcohol consumption. 3 The results indicated that depletion of brain 5‐HT and 5‐HIAA is not responsible for the reduction of voluntary alcohol intake which has been reported to follow chronic oral administration of PCPA to the rat (Myers & Veale, 1968). The possibility of a learned aversion to alcohol due to an association with PCPA administration is discussed.