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Maguire DR. Interactions between lorcaserin and opioids: Ventilation and food-versus-drug choice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 234:173673. [PMID: 37951365 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Lorcaserin, a selective serotonin 2C (5-HT2C) receptor agonist, was approved for treating obesity and has been investigated for treating substance use disorders including those involving opioids. Although lorcaserin was withdrawn from the market, interest in the therapeutic potential of drugs acting at 5-HT2C receptors continues, supporting the need to further characterize potential adverse effects especially when combined with drugs of abuse. This study examined acute effects of lorcaserin on opioid-induced ventilatory depression, which is the primary cause of overdose, and opioid self-administration, which models factors contributing to opioid abuse, in male and female rhesus monkeys. In one group (n = 4), effects of morphine (0.178 to 5.6 mg/kg, s.c.), fentanyl (0.0032 to 0.1 mg/kg, s.c.), and lorcaserin (0.1 to 1.78 mg/kg, s.c.) alone as well as effects of lorcaserin with each opioid on ventilation were determined using head plethysmography. Another group (n = 5) responded under a food versus fentanyl (0.1 to 3.2 μg/kg/infusion, i.v.) choice procedure, and lorcaserin (0.32 to 1.78 mg/kg, i.v.) was given as a pretreatment. Lorcaserin dose-dependently decreased minute volume to below 70 % of baseline when administered alone and increased the potency of morphine and fentanyl. Consistent with previous studies, lorcaserin failed to alter choice of fentanyl over food. This study demonstrates the novel finding that lorcaserin alone decreases ventilation and enhances the ventilatory-depressant effects of opioids. Taken together with previous studies, these results suggest that combining a 5-HT2C receptor agonist such as lorcaserin with an opioid could increase the risk of ventilatory depression without the benefit of decreasing abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Maguire
- Department of Pharmacology and Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
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2
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Angoa-Pérez M, Zagorac B, Francescutti DM, Shaffer ZD, Theis KR, Kuhn DM. Cocaine hydrochloride, cocaine methiodide and methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) cause distinct alterations in the structure and composition of the gut microbiota. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13754. [PMID: 37612353 PMCID: PMC10447462 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40892-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cocaine is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug of abuse that constitutes an ongoing public health threat. Emerging research is revealing that numerous peripheral effects of this drug may serve as conditioned stimuli for its central reinforcing properties. The gut microbiota is emerging as one of these peripheral sources of input to cocaine reward. The primary objective of the present study was to determine how cocaine HCl and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, both of which powerfully activate central reward pathways, alter the gut microbiota. Cocaine methiodide, a quaternary derivative of cocaine that does not enter the brain, was included to assess peripheral influences on the gut microbiota. Both cocaine congeners caused significant and similar alterations of the gut microbiota after a 10-day course of treatment. Contrary to expectations, the effects of cocaine HCl and MDPV on the gut microbiota were most dissimilar. Functional predictions of metabolic alterations caused by the treatment drugs reaffirmed that the cocaine congeners were similar whereas MDPV was most dissimilar from the other two drugs and controls. It appears that the monoamine transporters in the gut mediate the effects of the treatment drugs. The effects of the cocaine congeners and MDPV on the gut microbiome may form the basis of interoceptive cues that can influence their abuse properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Angoa-Pérez
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
| | - Branislava Zagorac
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Dina M Francescutti
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Zachary D Shaffer
- Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Kevin R Theis
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Donald M Kuhn
- Research and Development Service, John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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3
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Doyle MR, Peng LN, Cao J, Rice KC, Newman AH, Collins GT. 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone High-Responder Phenotype as a Tool to Evaluate Candidate Medications for Stimulant Use Disorder. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2023; 384:353-362. [PMID: 36627204 PMCID: PMC9976791 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.122.001419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research, there are no medications approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat stimulant use disorders. Self-administration procedures are widely used to screen candidate medications for stimulant use disorder, although preclinical reductions in stimulant self-administration have not translated to meaningful reductions in stimulant use in humans. One possible reason for this discordance is that most preclinical studies evaluate candidate medications under conditions that promote predictable, and well-regulated patterns of drug-taking rather than the dysregulated and/or compulsive patterns of drug-taking characteristic of a stimulant use disorder. A subset of rats ("high-responders") that self-administer 3,4-methelyendioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), a monoamine uptake inhibitor, develop high levels of dysregulated drug-taking consistent with behaviors related to stimulant use disorders. Because MDPV acts on dopamine, serotonin (5-HT), and sigma receptor systems, the current studies compared the potency and effectiveness of a dopamine D3 receptor partial agonist (VK4-40) or antagonist (VK4-116), a sigma receptor antagonist (BD1063), a dopamine D2/D3/sigma receptor antagonist (haloperidol), and a 5-HT2C receptor agonist (CP-809,101) to reduce MDPV (0.0032-0.1 mg/kg/infusion) self-administration in high- and low-responding rats as well as rats self-administering cocaine (0.032-1 mg/kg/infusion). VK4-40, VK4-116, haloperidol, and CP-809,101 were equipotent and effective at reducing drug-taking in all three groups of rats, including the high-responders; however, VK4-116 and CP-809,101 were less potent at reducing drug-taking in female compared with male rats. Together, these studies suggest that drugs targeting dopamine D3 or 5-HT2C receptors can effectively reduce dysregulated patterns of stimulant use, highlighting their potential utility for treating stimulant use disorders. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: There are no United States Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for stimulant use disorder, perhaps in part because candidate medications are most often evaluated in preclinical models using male subjects with well-regulated drug-taking. In an attempt to better model aberrant drug taking, this study found compounds acting at dopamine D3 or 5-HT2C receptors can attenuate drug-taking in male and female rats that self-administered two different stimulants and exhibited either a high or low substance use disorder-like phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle R Doyle
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., L.N.P., G.T.C.); South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., G.T.C.); Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland (J.C., A.H.N.); and Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland (K.C.R.)
| | - Lindsey N Peng
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., L.N.P., G.T.C.); South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., G.T.C.); Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland (J.C., A.H.N.); and Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland (K.C.R.)
| | - Jianjing Cao
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., L.N.P., G.T.C.); South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., G.T.C.); Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland (J.C., A.H.N.); and Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland (K.C.R.)
| | - Kenner C Rice
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., L.N.P., G.T.C.); South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., G.T.C.); Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland (J.C., A.H.N.); and Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland (K.C.R.)
| | - Amy Hauck Newman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., L.N.P., G.T.C.); South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., G.T.C.); Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland (J.C., A.H.N.); and Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland (K.C.R.)
| | - Gregory T Collins
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., L.N.P., G.T.C.); South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas (M.R.D., G.T.C.); Medicinal Chemistry Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse - Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, Maryland (J.C., A.H.N.); and Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland (K.C.R.)
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Jastrzębska J, Frankowska M, Smaga I, Hubalewska-Mazgaj M, Suder A, Pieniążek R, Przegaliński E, Filip M. Evaluation of the 5-HT 2C receptor drugs RO 60-0175, WAY 161503 and mirtazepine in a preclinical model of comorbidity of depression and cocaine addiction. Pharmacol Rep 2023; 75:99-118. [PMID: 36374478 PMCID: PMC9889480 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-022-00428-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological data indicate a high rate of comorbidity of depression and cocaine use disorder (CUD). The role of serotonin 2C (5-HT2C) receptors in the mechanisms responsible for the coexistence of depression and CUD was not investigated. METHODS We combined bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), an animal model of depression, with intravenous cocaine self-administration and extinction/reinstatement in male rats to investigate two 5-HT2C receptor agonists (Ro 60-0175 (RO) and WAY 161503 (WAY)) and the 5-HT2C-receptor preferring antagonist mirtazapine (MIR; an antidepressant), with the goal of determining whether these drugs alter cocaine-induced reinforcement and seeking behaviors. Additionally, neurochemical analyses were performed following cocaine self-administration and its abstinence period in the brain structures in OBX rats and SHAM-operated controls. RESULTS Acute administration of RO reduced, while WAY non-significantly attenuated cocaine reinforcement in both rat phenotypes. Moreover, RO or WAY protected against cocaine-seeking behavior after acute or after repeated drug administration during extinction training in OBX and SHAM rats. By contrast, acutely administered MIR did not alter cocaine reinforcement in both rat phenotypes, while it's acute (but not repeated) pretreatment reduced cocaine-seeking in OBX and SHAM rats. In neurochemical analyses, cocaine reinforcement increased 5-HT2C receptor levels in the ventral hippocampus; a preexisting depression-like phenotype enhanced this effect. The 10-daily cocaine abstinence reduced 5-HT2C receptor expression in the dorsolateral striatum, while the coexistence of depression and CUD enhanced local receptor expression. CONCLUSION The results support a key role of 5-HT2C receptors for treating CUD and comorbid depression and CUD. They may be backs the further research of pharmacological strategies with drug targeting receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Jastrzębska
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Frankowska
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Irena Smaga
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Magdalena Hubalewska-Mazgaj
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Agata Suder
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Renata Pieniążek
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Edmund Przegaliński
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Filip
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Department of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smętna 12, 31-343 Kraków, Poland
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5
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Converging vulnerability factors for compulsive food and drug use. Neuropharmacology 2021; 196:108556. [PMID: 33862029 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Highly palatable foods and substance of abuse have intersecting neurobiological, metabolic and behavioral effects relevant for understanding vulnerability to conditions related to food (e.g., obesity, binge eating disorder) and drug (e.g., substance use disorder) misuse. Here, we review data from animal models, clinical populations and epidemiological evidence in behavioral, genetic, pathophysiologic and therapeutic domains. Results suggest that consumption of highly palatable food and drugs of abuse both impact and conversely are regulated by metabolic hormones and metabolic status. Palatable foods high in fat and/or sugar can elicit adaptation in brain reward and withdrawal circuitry akin to substances of abuse. Intake of or withdrawal from palatable food can impact behavioral sensitivity to drugs of abuse and vice versa. A robust literature suggests common substrates and roles for negative reinforcement, negative affect, negative urgency, and impulse control deficits, with both highly palatable foods and substances of abuse. Candidate genetic risk loci shared by obesity and alcohol use disorders have been identified in molecules classically associated with both metabolic and motivational functions. Finally, certain drugs may have overlapping therapeutic potential to treat obesity, diabetes, binge-related eating disorders and substance use disorders. Taken together, data are consistent with the hypotheses that compulsive food and substance use share overlapping, interacting substrates at neurobiological and metabolic levels and that motivated behavior associated with feeding or substance use might constitute vulnerability factors for one another. This article is part of the special issue on 'Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse'.
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6
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Negus SS, Banks ML. Learning from lorcaserin: lessons from the negative clinical trial of lorcaserin to treat cocaine use disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1967-1973. [PMID: 32839526 PMCID: PMC7547654 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-00815-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Stevens Negus
- grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
| | - Matthew L. Banks
- grid.224260.00000 0004 0458 8737Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298 USA
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Duart-Castells L, Blanco-Gandía MC, Ferrer-Pérez C, Puster B, Pubill D, Miñarro J, Escubedo E, Rodríguez-Arias M. Cross-reinstatement between 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and cocaine using conditioned place preference. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2020; 100:109876. [PMID: 31991149 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.109876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a new psychoactive substance (NPS) considered to be a cocaine-like psychostimulant. The substitution of an established illicit drug as cocaine with an NPS is a pattern of use reported among drug users. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cocaine and MDPV in the reinstatement of the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, in order to establish whether there is cross-reinstatement between the two psychostimulants. Four experimental groups of male OF1 mice were subjected to the CPP paradigm: MDPV-MDPV, Cocaine-Cocaine, Cocaine-MDPV, and MDPV-Cocaine. The first drug refers to the substance with which the animals were conditioned (cocaine 10 mg/kg or MDPV 2 mg/kg) and the s to the substance with which preference was reinstated. In parallel, G9a, ΔFosB, CB1 receptor, CDK5, Arc and c-Fos were determined in ventral striatum. MDPV induced CPP at doses from 1 to 4 mg/kg. Although 2 mg/kg MDPV induced a stronger psychostimulant effect than 10 mg/kg cocaine, both doses seemed to be equivalent in their rewarding properties. However, memories associated with MDPV required more time to be extinguished. MDPV and cocaine restore drug-seeking behavior with respect to each other, although relapse into drug-taking is always more pronounced with the conditioning drug. The fact that MDPV-treated mice show increased ΔFosB protein levels correlates with its longer extinction time and points to the activation of neuroplasticity mechanisms that persist for at least 12 days. Moreover, in these animals, a priming-dose of cocaine can trigger significant neuroplasticity, implying a high vulnerability to cocaine abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Duart-Castells
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Carmen Blanco-Gandía
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, C/ Ciudad Escolar s/n, 44003 Teruel, Spain
| | - Carmen Ferrer-Pérez
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Brigitte Puster
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Pubill
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Miñarro
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Elena Escubedo
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmacology Section and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marta Rodríguez-Arias
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain
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Magee CP, German CL, Siripathane YH, Curtis PS, Anderson DJ, Wilkins DG, Hanson GR, Fleckenstein AE. 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone: Neuropharmacological Impact of a Designer Stimulant of Abuse on Monoamine Transporters. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2020; 374:273-282. [PMID: 32385092 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.119.264895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is an abused synthetic cathinone, commonly referred to as a "bath salt." Because the dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) and vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2) are key regulators of both the abuse and neurotoxic potential of structurally and behaviorally related agents, the impact of MDPV on these transporters was investigated. Results revealed that a single in vivo MDPV administration rapidly (within 1 hour) and reversibly increased both rat striatal DAT and VMAT-2 activity, as assessed via [3H]DA uptake in synaptosomes and synaptic vesicles, respectively, prepared from treated rats. There was no evidence of an MDPV-induced increase in plasmalemmal membrane DAT surface expression. Plasma concentrations of MDPV increased dose-dependently as assessed 1 hour after 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg (s.c.) administration and returned to levels less than 10 ng/ml by 18 hours after 2.5 mg/kg (s.c.). Neither pretreatment with a D1 receptor (SCH23390), a D2 receptor (eticlopride), nor a nicotinic receptor (mecamylamine) antagonist attenuated the MDPV-induced increase in DAT activity. In contrast, eticlopride pretreatment attenuated both the MDPV-induced increase in VMAT-2-mediated DA uptake and an associated increase in cytoplasmic-associated vesicle VMAT-2 immunoreactivity. SCH23390 did not attenuate the MDPV-induced increase in VMAT-2 activity. Repeated MDPV injections did not cause persistent DAergic deficits, as assessed 7 to 8 days later. The impact of MDPV on striatal and hippocampal serotonergic assessments was minimal. Taken together, these data contribute to a growing pharmacological rubric for evaluating the ever-growing list of designer cathinone-related stimulants. The profile of MDPV compared with related psychostimulants is discussed. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Pharmacological characterization of the synthetic cathinone, 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV; commonly referred to as a "bath salt"), is critical for understanding the abuse liability and neurotoxic potential of this and related agents. Accordingly, the impact of MDPV on monoaminergic neurons is described and compared with that of related psychostimulants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte P Magee
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Christopher L German
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Yasmeen H Siripathane
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Peter S Curtis
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - David J Anderson
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Diana G Wilkins
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Glen R Hanson
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Annette E Fleckenstein
- School of Dentistry (C.P.M., C.L.G., Y.H.S., P.S.C., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Interdepartmental Program in Neuroscience (C.P.M., C.L.G., G.R.H., A.E.F.), Center for Human Toxicology (D.J.A., D.G.W.), and Department of Pathology (D.G.W.), University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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9
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de Almeida Kiguti LR, Pacheco TL, Antunes E, Kempinas WDG. Lorcaserin Administration has Pro-Ejaculatory Effects in Rats via 5-HT 2C Receptors Activation: A Putative Pharmacologic Strategy to Delayed Ejaculation? J Sex Med 2020; 17:1060-1071. [PMID: 32234370 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2020.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lorcaserin is an anti-obesity drug whose weight loss effect results from 5-hydroxytryptamin (5-HT)2C receptors activation. The 5-HT2C receptor was shown to participate in the physiological control of ejaculation, but no data addressing a putative effect of lorcaserin on ejaculation exist. AIM To investigate the effects of lorcaserin in different in vitro and in vivo experimental models of ejaculation in rats. METHODS Contractile responses to lorcaserin in rat seminal emission organs in vitro (prostatic and epididymal vas deferens, cauda epididymis, and seminal vesicles), analysis of male rat copulatory behavior, and electromyographic recording of bulbospongiosus muscle in anesthetized animals were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome measures included in vitro contraction of seminal emission organs and evaluation of the male rat copulatory behavior. The male rat sexual behavior in terms of copulation latency, ejaculation latency, mount and intromission frequency, and ejaculation frequency of sexually experienced adult male rats with a receptive female were also recorded. RESULTS Lorcaserin (1.0 nM to 1.0 mM) had no significant effects on the in vitro contractility of seminal emission organs smooth muscle (cauda epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles). On the other hand, lorcaserin administration (0.3-1.0 mg/kg, intravenous) induced ejaculation in anesthetized rats, which was prevented by the 5-HT2C-selective antagonist SB 242084 (0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, intravenous). Single-dose treatment of non-anesthetized male rats with lorcaserin (1.0, 4.0, or 10 mg/kg, per os) induced non-copulating ejaculations in sexually naïve rats. Lorcaserin also had pro-ejaculation effects by decreasing the ejaculation threshold of copulating rats by half. The pro-ejaculatory effects of lorcaserin were reversible as the ejaculation threshold of treated rats recovered after a 1-week washout period. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Due to its reported clinical safety, repurposing lorcaserin for the treatment of delayed ejaculation may be suggested. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS The pro-ejaculatory effect of lorcaserin administration and the role of 5-HT2C were demonstrated in different experimental models of ejaculation in rats. The lack of studies in putative experimental models of delayed ejaculation is a limitation of this study. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that the clinically approved 5-HT2C agonist lorcaserin is a strong facilitator of ejaculation in rats. de Almeida Kiguti LR, Pacheco TL, Antunes E, et al. Lorcaserin Administration has Pro-Ejaculatory Effects in Rats via 5-HT2C Receptors Activation: A Putative Pharmacologic Strategy to Delayed Ejaculation? J Sex Med 2020;17:1060-1071.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tainá Louise Pacheco
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology (ReproTox), Department of Morphology, State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Edson Antunes
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil.
| | - Wilma de Grava Kempinas
- Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Biology and Toxicology (ReproTox), Department of Morphology, State University of São Paulo (UNESP), Botucatu, Brazil
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Higgins GA, Fletcher PJ, Shanahan WR. Lorcaserin: A review of its preclinical and clinical pharmacology and therapeutic potential. Pharmacol Ther 2020; 205:107417. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.107417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Collins GT, Sulima A, Rice KC, France CP. Self-administration of the synthetic cathinones 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) and α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (α-PVP) in rhesus monkeys. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:3677-3685. [PMID: 31346629 PMCID: PMC7274354 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05339-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The availability and abuse of synthetic analogues of cathinone have increased dramatically around the world. Synthetic cathinones, such as 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone [MDPV] and α-pyrrolidinopentiophenone [α-PVP], are cocaine-like inhibitors of monoamine transporters and common constituents of "bath salts" or "flakka" preparations. Studies in rats suggest that MDPV and α-PVP are 3 to 4-fold more effective reinforcers than cocaine; however, comparisons of the relative reinforcing effectiveness of MDPV and α-PVP have not been reported in other species. OBJECTIVES Accordingly, in the present study, 4 adult male rhesus monkeys responding under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement were used to characterize the reinforcing effects of MDPV and α-PVP and to compare directly these effects with those of cocaine and methamphetamine. RESULTS MDPV was the most potent reinforcer, followed by α-PVP, methamphetamine, and cocaine. α-PVP was the most effective reinforcer, followed by MDPV, cocaine, and methamphetamine. In addition to making more responses to obtain MDPV and α-PVP, monkeys also responded for longer periods of time when MDPV or α-PVP was available compared with when either cocaine or methamphetamine was available for infusion. CONCLUSIONS These studies confirm recent reports from rodents and provide strong evidence that the synthetic cathinones MDPV and α-PVP are capable of maintaining high levels of responding for prolonged periods of time, and that they function as more effective reinforcers than either cocaine or methamphetamine. The relative strength of these reinforcing effects may account for the high rates of "bath salts" use reported in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory T. Collins
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA; Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA; South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA
| | - Agnieszka Sulima
- Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, 20850, USA
| | - Kenner C. Rice
- Drug Design and Synthesis Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, 20850, USA
| | - Charles P. France
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA; Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, 78229, USA
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Repeated administration of synthetic cathinone 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone persistently increases impulsive choice in rats. Behav Pharmacol 2019; 30:555-565. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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13
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Behavioral economic analysis of the reinforcing effects of "bath salts" mixtures: studies with MDPV, methylone, and caffeine in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:1031-1041. [PMID: 30267131 PMCID: PMC6440875 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-018-5046-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE "Bath salts" preparations often contain combinations of synthetic cathinones (e.g., 3,4-methylenedioxymethcathinone [methylone], 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone [MDPV]), and caffeine, and evidence suggests that mixtures of synthetic cathinones and caffeine (e.g., MDPV + caffeine or methylone + caffeine) can be more potent and/or effective reinforcers than predicted for an additive interaction. OBJECTIVE To use demand curve analyses to compare the reinforcing effectiveness of MDPV and methylone to mixtures of MDPV + caffeine and methylone + caffeine. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats acquired methylone self-administration (0.32 mg/kg/inf) under a fixed ratio (FR) 1 schedule of reinforcement and generated full dose-response curves for methylone (0.01-1 mg/kg/inf) under an FR5 schedule of reinforcement. Demand curves were then obtained for methylone, MDPV, caffeine, and methylone + caffeine and MDPV + caffeine mixtures by increasing the FR across sessions according to the following series: 3, 10, 18, 32, 56, 100, 178, etc. RESULTS: Self-administration of methylone was rapidly acquired by 87.5% of rats and was maintained across a range of doses, producing an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve. Rank order demand for the individual constituents was MDPV > methylone > caffeine. Demand for the 3:1 (but not 10:1) methylone + caffeine mixture was greater than that for methylone alone, and demand for MDPV alone was similar to both MDPV + caffeine mixtures evaluated. CONCLUSIONS These studies provide additional evidence that although methylone is an effective reinforcer, combining methylone with caffeine results in an enhanced reinforcing effectiveness compared to methylone alone. Thus, abused "bath salts" preparations containing synthetic cathinones and caffeine may have higher abuse liability than preparations containing only synthetic cathinones.
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The serotonin-2C agonist Lorcaserin delays intravenous choice and modifies the subjective and cardiovascular effects of cocaine: A randomized, controlled human laboratory study. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 180:52-59. [PMID: 30811963 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lorcaserin is a modestly selective agonist for 2C serotonin receptors (5-HT2CR) approved for weight-loss therapy. This class can attenuate cue-induced responding and drug taking in preclinical studies, but effects in humans have not been reported. METHODS AND PARTICIPANTS We evaluated effects of single 10 mg doses of lorcaserin on the subjective and reinforcing effects of cocaine, using a randomized, double-blind, within-subject, cross-over design. Male, non-treatment-seeking, regular cocaine users received either single doses of oral placebo (n = 9) or lorcaserin (n = 9), followed by low- or high- doses of intravenous cocaine (0.23 or 0.46 mg/kg-injection). They were then allowed to self-administer the lower dose of cocaine. RESULTS Cocaine was well tolerated after lorcaserin pretreatment. Oral lorcaserin did not modify the number of cocaine injections self-administered. However, it prolonged the time over which participants made intravenous choices relative to the duration of monetary (cash) decisions. Lorcaserin increased ratings of 'high' and 'stimulated' after low-dose cocaine or vehicle, but decreased craving for cocaine after intravenous vehicle. It also caused small but significant increases in heart rate following noncontingent injections of intravenous placebo or cocaine. When active cocaine was self-administered, lorcaserin decreased heart rate after selection of a monetary choice, but increased it following an intravenous choice. CONCLUSIONS Combined treatment with cocaine and lorcaserin was safe in a limited number of subjects, but did not diminish cocaine-motivated behavior or drug-induced 'high'. Some positive subjective effects of cocaine were enhanced by lorcaserin, and it delayed intravenous choices and decreased craving under some conditions. Effects on heart rate depended on the type of reinforcer being self-administered. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier, NCT02680288.
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15
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Gerak LR, Collins GT, Maguire DR, France CP. Effects of lorcaserin on reinstatement of responding previously maintained by cocaine or remifentanil in rhesus monkeys. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2019; 27:78-86. [PMID: 30382731 PMCID: PMC6355344 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Drug abuse remains a serious public health issue, underscoring the need for additional treatment options. Agonists at serotonin (5-HT)2C receptors, particularly lorcaserin, are being considered as pharmacotherapies for abuse of a variety of drugs, including cocaine and opioids. The current study compared the capacity of lorcaserin to attenuate reinstatement of extinguished responding previously maintained by either cocaine or an opioid; this type of procedure is thought to model relapse, an important aspect of drug abuse. Six rhesus monkeys responded under a fixed-ratio schedule for cocaine (0.032 mg/kg/infusion) or remifentanil (0.00032 mg/kg/infusion). Reinstatement of extinguished responding was examined following administration of noncontingent infusions of cocaine (0.32 mg/kg) or heroin (0.0032-0.1 mg/kg) combined with response-contingent presentations of the drug-associated stimuli, or heroin alone without presentation of drug-associated stimuli. When combined with drug-associated stimuli, cocaine and heroin increased extinguished responding. On average, monkeys emitted fewer reinstated responses following 0.32 mg/kg cocaine, compared with the number of responses emitted when cocaine was available for self-administration or when extinguished responding was reinstated by 0.032 mg/kg heroin. When drug-associated stimuli were not presented, heroin did not increase responding. Lorcaserin dose dependently attenuated reinstated responding, and its potency was similar regardless of whether cocaine or heroin was given before reinstatement sessions. The generality of this effect of lorcaserin across pharmacological classes of abused drugs might make it particularly useful for reducing relapse-related behaviors in polydrug abusers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa R Gerak
- Department of Pharmacology and the Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX
| | - Gregory T Collins
- Department of Pharmacology and the Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX; South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, TX
| | - David R. Maguire
- Department of Pharmacology and the Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX
| | - Charles P France
- Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, and the Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, TX
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Simmons SJ, Leyrer-Jackson JM, Oliver CF, Hicks C, Muschamp JW, Rawls SM, Olive MF. DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Cathinone-Derived Psychostimulants. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:2379-2394. [PMID: 29714473 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cathinone is a plant alkaloid found in khat leaves of perennial shrubs grown in East Africa. Similar to cocaine, cathinone elicits psychostimulant effects which are in part attributed to its amphetamine-like structure. Around 2010, home laboratories began altering the parent structure of cathinone to synthesize derivatives with mechanisms of action, potencies, and pharmacokinetics permitting high abuse potential and toxicity. These "synthetic cathinones" include 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone), 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and the empathogenic agent 3,4-methylenedioxymethcathinone (methylone) which collectively gained international popularity following aggressive online marketing as well as availability in various retail outlets. Case reports made clear the health risks associated with these agents and, in 2012, the Drug Enforcement Agency of the United States placed a series of synthetic cathinones on Schedule I under emergency order. Mechanistically, cathinone and synthetic derivatives work by augmenting monoamine transmission through release facilitation and/or presynaptic transport inhibition. Animal studies confirm the rewarding and reinforcing properties of synthetic cathinones by utilizing self-administration, place conditioning, and intracranial self-stimulation assays and additionally show persistent neuropathological features which demonstrate a clear need to better understand this class of drugs. This Review will thus detail (i) historical context of cathinone use and the rise of "dark" synthetic derivatives, (ii) structural features and mechanisms of synthetic cathinones, (iii) behavioral effects observed clinically and in animals under controlled laboratory conditions, and (iv) neurotransmitters and circuits that may be targeted to manage synthetic cathinone abuse in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J. Simmons
- Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR), Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | | | - Chicora F. Oliver
- Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR), Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - Callum Hicks
- Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR), Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - John W. Muschamp
- Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR), Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - Scott M. Rawls
- Center for Substance Abuse Research (CSAR), Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, United States
| | - M. Foster Olive
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85281, United States
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Collins GT, France CP. Effects of lorcaserin and buspirone, administered alone and as a mixture, on cocaine self-administration in male and female rhesus monkeys. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2018; 26:488-496. [PMID: 29952618 PMCID: PMC6162158 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine use disorder is a serious public health issue for which there is no effective pharmacotherapy. One strategy to speed development of medications for cocaine use disorder is to repurpose drugs already approved for use in humans based on their ability to interact with targets known to be important for addiction. Two such drugs, lorcaserin (Belviq; a drug with serotonin [5-HT]2C receptor agonist properties) and buspirone (Buspar; a drug with 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist and dopamine D3/D4 receptor antagonist properties) can produce modest decreases in cocaine self-administration in rhesus monkeys. The current study evaluated the effectiveness of mixtures of lorcaserin and buspirone (at fixed dose ratios of 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 relative to each drug's ID50) to reduce responding for 0.032 mg/kg/inf cocaine under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement in 2 male and 2 female rhesus monkeys. Dose addition analyses were used to determine if the effects of the drug mixtures differed from those predicted for an additive interaction between lorcaserin and buspirone. Dose-dependent reductions of cocaine self-administration were observed when lorcaserin and buspirone were administered alone, as well as when they were administered as 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3 fixed ratio mixtures of lorcaserin + buspirone. The effects of the 1:1 mixture of lorcaserin + buspirone on cocaine self-administration were supraadditive, whereas the effects of 3:1 and 1:3 mixtures were additive. Together, these results indicate that a combination therapy containing a mixture of lorcaserin and buspirone might be more effective than either drug alone at treating cocaine use disorder. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory T. Collins
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA,Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA,South Texas Veterans Health Care System, 7400 Merton Minter Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Charles P. France
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA,Addiction Research, Treatment & Training Center of Excellence, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
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Kohut SJ, Bergman J. Lorcaserin decreases the reinforcing effects of heroin, but not food, in rhesus monkeys. Eur J Pharmacol 2018; 840:28-32. [PMID: 30268662 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2018.09.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical studies indicate that lorcaserin (Belviq®), an FDA-approved serotonin 2 C receptor agonist, may be a promising medication for the treatment of stimulant addiction. However, few studies have investigated its effects on self-administration of drugs of abuse from other pharmacological classes, including opioids. Here, adult male rhesus macaques (N = 3) responded under a fixed ratio 30 schedule of food (1-g banana-flavored pellets) and IV heroin delivery. Following stable self-administration of a range of heroin doses (0.32-32 μg/kg/inj, IV), the effects of acute pretreatment with lorcaserin (0.32-1.0 mg/kg, IM) on heroin- and food-maintained responding was determined. The ability of repeated treatment with lorcaserin (1.0 mg/kg) to produce sustained decreases in heroin and/or food intake and reinforcing strength were then analyzed using behavioral economic demand procedures. Results show that self-administration of intravenous heroin was dose-dependent, with peak responding maintained, on average, by the unit dose of 3.2 μg/kg/inj. Lorcaserin pretreatment produced a dose-dependent flattening of the dose-response function for heroin self-administration in each subject. On the other hand, lorcaserin did not decrease food-maintained responding. Repeated lorcaserin treatment reduced heroin intake by selectively decreasing its reinforcing strength, as evidenced by a leftward shift in the demand curves for heroin and the absence of comparable changes in the reinforcing strength of food. These results indicate that serotonin 2 C receptor agonists, such as lorcaserin, have behaviorally selective effects on IV self-administration behavior, and deserve further consideration as candidates for the management of opioid use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Kohut
- Preclinical Pharmacology Laboratory, McLean Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, United States.
| | - Jack Bergman
- Preclinical Pharmacology Laboratory, McLean Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02478, United States
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19
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Hurt RT, Mundi MS, Ebbert JO. Challenging obesity, diabetes, and addiction: the potential of lorcaserin extended release. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes 2018; 11:469-478. [PMID: 30233224 PMCID: PMC6130259 DOI: 10.2147/dmso.s126855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a global epidemic that is a leading cause of preventable death. In addition to lifestyle modification, there are numerous obesity treatments for clinicians to consider, including medications. Lorcaserin immediate release/extended release (IR/XR) is a US Food and Drug Administration approved medication for overweight and obese patients to be used with lifestyle modifications. Lorcaserin is thought to reduce weight by targeting the serotonin (5HT2c) system to induce satiety. Lorcaserin IR has been shown to be effective in reducing weight in overweight (body mass index [BMI] > 27 kg/m2) and obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) participants in three large Phase III trials. In addition, lorcaserin has been shown to reduce post-cessation weight gain and improved smoking cessation in a randomized placebo-controlled trial. A recent meta-analysis suggested in overweight diabetic patients lorcaserin may be added to first-line oral hypoglycemic medications to enhance reduction in glycated hemoglobin. Lorcaserin is generally well tolerated with the most common side effect being headache, which is typically self-limiting. Lorcaserin XR (once daily) was recently approved and has been shown to be bioequivalent to lorcaserin IR (twice daily) in a pivotal study. Lorcaserin XRs, main advantage over the IR formulation is the once daily dosing regimen, which likely would lead to improved adherence and thus improved clinical effectiveness. The present review will evaluate the lorcaserin clinical studies (obesity, diabetes, and addiction), XR bioequivalence studies, pharmacogenomics of the serotonin (5HT2c) system, and adherence data in once daily versus twice daily medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Hurt
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA,
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA,
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA,
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA,
| | - Manpreet S Mundi
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA,
| | - Jon O Ebbert
- Division of Primary Care Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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Simmler LD, Liechti ME. Pharmacology of MDMA- and Amphetamine-Like New Psychoactive Substances. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2018; 252:143-164. [PMID: 29633178 DOI: 10.1007/164_2018_113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
New psychoactive substances (NPS) with amphetamine-, aminoindan-, and benzofuran basic chemical structures have recently emerged for recreational drug use. Detailed information about their psychotropic effects and health risks is often limited. At the same time, it emerged that the pharmacological profiles of these NPS resemble those of amphetamine or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Amphetamine-like NPS induce psychostimulation and euphoria mediated predominantly by norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) transporter (NET and DAT) inhibition and transporter-mediated release of NE and DA, thus showing a more catecholamine-selective profile. MDMA-like NPS frequently induce well-being, empathy, and prosocial effects and have only moderate psychostimulant properties. These MDMA-like substances primarily act by inhibiting the serotonin (5-HT) transporter (SERT) and NET, also inducing 5-HT and NE release. Monoamine receptor interactions vary considerably among amphetamine- and MDMA-like NPS. Clinically, amphetamine- and MDMA-like NPS can induce sympathomimetic toxicity. The aim of this chapter is to review the state of knowledge regarding these substances with a focus on the description of the in vitro pharmacology of selected amphetamine- and MDMA-like NPS. In addition, it is aimed to provide links between pharmacological profiles and in vivo effects and toxicity, which leads to the conclusion that abuse liability for amphetamine-like NPS may be higher than for MDMA-like NPS, but that the risk for developing the life-threatening serotonin syndrome may be increased for MDMA-like NPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda D Simmler
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias E Liechti
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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