Canna~Fangled Abstracts

Cross-Substitution of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and JWH-018 in Drug Discrimination in Rats.

By May 30, 2014No Comments
2014 May 30. pii: S0091-3057(14)00159-2. doi: 10.1016/j.pbb.2014.05.016. [Epub ahead of print]

pm8Cross-Substitution of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and JWH-018 in Drug Discrimination in Rats.

Abstract

Synthetic indole-derived cannabinoids, originally developed to probe cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, have become widely abused for their marijuana-like intoxicating properties. The present study examined the effects of indole-derived cannabinoids in rats trained to discriminate Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) from vehicle. In addition, the effects of Δ9-THC in rats trained to discriminate JWH-018 from vehicle were assessed. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate 3mg/kg Δ9-THC or 0.3mg/kg JWH-018 from vehicle. JWH-018, JWH-073, and JWH-210 fully substituted in Δ9-THC-trained rats and Δ9-THC substituted in JWH-018-trained rats. In contrast, JWH-320, an indole-derived cannabinoid without affinity for CB1 receptors, failed to substitute for Δ9-THC. Pre-treatment with 1mg/kg rimonabant significantly reduced responding on the JWH-018-associated lever in JWH-018-trained rats. These results support the conclusion that the interoceptive effects of Δ9-THC and synthetic indole-derivedcannabinoids show a large degree of overlap, which is predictive of their use for their marijuana-like intoxicating properties. Characterization of the extent of pharmacological differences among structural classes of cannabinoids, and determination of their mechanisms remain important goals.
Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

KEYWORDS:

JWH-018; JWH-073; JWH-210; discriminative stimulus; indole cannabinoids; synthetic cannabinoids; Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol

PMID:

 

24887450

 

[PubMed – as supplied by publisher]
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