Oral 18-Methoxycoronaridine (18-MC) Decreases Nicotine Self-Administration in Rats
Tobacco addiction is a major problem worldwide with devastating health and socioeconomic consequences. Although several pharmacological treatments have been designed for combating this addiction, the development of more effective medications for the treatment of tobacco addiction remains a challenging goal. People use tobacco to obtain nicotine. Blocking the reinforcing effects of nicotine is key to combating tobacco addiction. Here, we briefly review the effects of administration of the iboga alkaloid derivative 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC) on nicotine intake. The systemic administration of 18-MC has been shown to decrease self-administration of several addictive drugs. Since oral administration of drugs is the preferred route for humans, the current study was conducted to determine the effect of oral 18-MC administration on intravenous nicotine self-administration in a rat model. Results showed that oral administration of 18-MC significantly reduced nicotine self-administration. It was also shown that 18-MC was significantly more effective in rats with lower nicotine self-administration rates than in those with higher nicotine intake. The finding that 18-MC is also effective in reducing nicotine self-administration when given orally makes it advantageous for further development as a possible novel therapy for combating smoking addiction.
Duke Scholars
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