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Baird TR, Akbarali HI, Dewey WL, Elder H, Kang M, Marsh SA, Peace MR, Poklis JL, Santos EJ, Negus SS. Opioid-like adverse effects of tianeptine in male rats and mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:2187-2199. [PMID: 35211768 PMCID: PMC10055856 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06093-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Tianeptine is a mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist with increasing reports of abuse in human populations. Preclinical data regarding the abuse potential and other opioid-like adverse effects of tianeptine at supratherapeutic doses are sparse. OBJECTIVES The present study evaluated tianeptine in a rat model of abuse potential assessment and in mouse models of motor, gastrointestinal, and respiratory adverse effects. METHODS Abuse potential was assessed in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats using an intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure to determine effects of acute and repeated tianeptine on responding for electrical brain stimulation. Male ICR mice were used to determine the effects of tianeptine in assays of locomotor behavior and gastrointestinal motility. Male Swiss-Webster mice were monitored for respiratory changes using whole-body plethysmography. RESULTS In rats, acute tianeptine produced weak and delayed evidence for abuse-related ICSS facilitation at an intermediate dose (10 mg/kg, IP) and pronounced, naltrexone-preventable ICSS depression at a higher dose (32 mg/kg, IP). Repeated 7-day tianeptine (10 and 32 mg/kg/day, IP) produced no increase in abuse-related ICSS facilitation, only modest tolerance to ICSS depression, and no evidence of physical dependence. In mice, tianeptine produced dose-dependent, naltrexone-preventable locomotor activation. Tianeptine (100 mg/kg, SC) also significantly inhibited gastrointestinal motility and produced naloxone-reversible respiratory depression. CONCLUSIONS Tianeptine presents as a MOR agonist with resistance to tolerance and dependence in our ICSS assay in rats, and it has lower abuse potential by this metric than many commonly abused opioids. Nonetheless, tianeptine produces MOR agonist-like acute adverse effects that include motor impairment, constipation, and respiratory depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- T R Baird
- Integrative Life Sciences Doctoral Program, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 West Cary St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA.,Department of Forensic Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1015 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
| | - H I Akbarali
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - W L Dewey
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - H Elder
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - M Kang
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - S A Marsh
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - M R Peace
- Department of Forensic Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1015 Floyd Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
| | - J L Poklis
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - E J Santos
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - S S Negus
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N. 12th St, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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