Comparison of smoked marijuana and oral Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans

Abstract Rationale. Although smoked marijuana contains at least 60 cannabinoids, Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) is presumed to be the cannabinoid primarily responsible for many marijuana-related effects, including increased food intake and subjective effects. Yet, there has been no systematic comparison of repeated doses of oral Δ⁹-THC with repeated doses of smoked marijuana in the same individuals. Objective. To compare the effects of oral Δ⁹-THC and smoked marijuana in humans under controlled laboratory conditions. Methods. Eleven healthy research volunteers, who reported smoking an average of six marijuana cigarettes per day, completed an 18-day residential study. Marijuana cigarettes (3.1% Δ⁹-THC, q.i.d.) were smoked or Δ⁹-THC (20 mg, q.i.d.) was taken orally using a staggered, double-blind, double-dummy procedure for three consecutive days. Four days of placebo administration separated each active drug condition. Psychomotor task performance, subjective effects, and food intake were measured throughout the day. Results. Relative to placebo baseline, oral Δ⁹-THC and smoked marijuana produced similar subjective-effect ratings (e.g., "high" and "mellow"), although some effects of smoked marijuana were more pronounced and less prone to the development of tolerance. Additionally, participants reported "negative" subjective effects (e.g., "irritable" and "miserable") during the days after smoking marijuana but not after oral Δ⁹-THC. Both drugs increased food intake for 3 days of drug administration, but had little effect on psychomotor performance. Conclusion. These results indicate that the behavioral profile of effects of smoked marijuana (3.1% Δ⁹-THC) is similar to the effects of oral Δ⁹-THC (20 mg), with some subtle differences. Electronic Publication     

Reinforcing effects of oral Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-THC in male marijuana smokers in a laboratory choice procedure

Rationale Oral Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC; Marinol) is medically available for the treatment of nausea associated with cancer chemotherapy and for wasting syndromes related to HIV/AIDS. Little is known about its reinforcing effects. Objective This study was conducted to characterize the reinforcing effects of oral Δ⁹-THC in experienced marijuana smokers under controlled laboratory conditions. Methods Ten healthy male marijuana users completed this 17-day residential study. On days 2, 6, 10, and 14, at 0900 h, participants received a “sample” oral dose of Δ⁹-THC (0, 10, 20 mg) and an alternative reinforcer, a $2 voucher (redeemable for cash at study’s end). Over the next 3 days, they had 11 opportunities to self-administer either the sampled dose of Δ⁹-THC or to receive a $2 voucher. Results Participants chose active Δ⁹-THC (10 and 20 mg) more often than placebo (<two selections vs ∼four selections, respectively). However, they chose active Δ⁹-THC on less than 50% of choice opportunities. Both active Δ⁹-THC doses produced significant increases in “positive” subjective effects, impaired psychomotor performance, and increased heart rate, relative to the placebo conditions. Conclusion These data indicate that oral Δ⁹-THC may have modest abuse liability in experienced marijuana smokers.     

Cannabinoid agonists differentially substitute for the discriminative stimulus effects of Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-tetrahydrocannabinol in C57BL/6J mice

RATIONALE: A variety of behavioral procedures have been developed to assess cannabinoid activity in mice; however, the feasibility of establishing Delta(9)-THC as a discriminative stimulus in mice has not been documented. OBJECTIVE: One goal was to establish Delta(9)-THC as a discriminative stimulus in mice; after having done so, another goal was to examine the in vivo mechanism of action of Delta(9)-THC with other cannabinoids and noncannabinoids. MATERIALS AND METHODS: C57BL/6J mice (n = 8) were trained to discriminate Delta(9)-THC (10 mg/kg i.p.) from vehicle while responding under a fixed ratio 30 schedule of food presentation. RESULTS: Mice satisfied the discrimination criteria in 18-98 (median = 67) sessions and the discriminative stimulus effects of Delta(9)-THC were dose-dependent (ED(50) = 2.6 mg/kg). CP 55940 and WIN 55212-2 dose-dependently increased Delta(9)-THC-appropriate responding to 100% (ED(50) = 0.032 and 0.45 mg/kg, respectively), whereas methanandamide and a variety of noncannabinoids (cocaine, ethanol, and ketamine) produced a maximum of 34% Delta(9)-THC-appropriate responding. The cannabinoid CB(1) antagonist SR 141716A (rimonabant) surmountably antagonized the discriminative effects of Delta(9)-THC, CP 55940, and WIN 55212-2; methanandamide did not significantly modify the Delta(9)-THC discriminative stimulus. CONCLUSIONS: The discriminative stimulus effects of Delta(9)-THC, CP 55940, and WIN 55212-2 are mediated by the same (i.e., CB(1)) receptors, whereas the effects of methanandamide or a metabolite of methanandamide are mediated at least in part by non-CB(1) receptors. The discriminative stimulus effects of Delta(9)-THC in mice could be used to evaluate mechanisms of cannabinoid activity with approaches (e.g., inducible knockouts) currently unavailable in nonmurine species.     

Effect of low doses of Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on the extinction of cocaine-induced and amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference learning in rats

Rationale Using the place-preference conditioning paradigm, we evaluated the potential of the two most prominent cannabinoids found in marijuana, the psychoactive component ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (⁹-THC) and the nonpsychoactive component cannabidiol (CBD), to potentiate extinction of a cocaine-induced and an amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference in rats.Methods To determine the effects of pretreatment with ⁹-THC or CBD on extinction, a cocaine-induced and amphetamine-induced place preference was first established. Rats were then given an extinction trial, during which they were confined to the treatment-paired floor for 15 min. Thirty minutes prior to the extinction trial, they were injected with a low dose of ⁹-THC (0.5 mg/kg), CBD (5 mg/kg) or vehicle. The potential of the CB₁ receptor antagonist, SR141716, to reverse the effects of ⁹-THC or CBD was also evaluated. To determine the hedonic effects of CBD, one distinctive floor was paired with CBD (5 mg/kg) and another with saline. Finally, to determine the effect of ⁹-THC or CBD on the establishment and/or the expression of a place preference during four cycles of conditioning trials, rats were injected with ⁹-THC (0.25–1 mg/kg), CBD (5 mg/kg) or vehicle 25 min prior to receiving an injection of amphetamine followed by placement on the treatment floor; on alternate days, they received injections of vehicle followed by saline and placement on the nontreatment floor. The rats then received two test trials; on one trial they were pretreated with the cannabinoid and on the other trial with vehicle.Results ⁹-THC and CBD potentiated the extinction of both cocaine-induced and amphetamine-induced conditioned place preference learning, and this effect was not reversed by SR141716. The cannabinoids did not affect learning or retrieval, and CBD was not hedonic on its own.Conclusions These results are the first to show that both ⁹-THC, which acts on both CB1 and CB2 receptors, and CBD, which does not bind to CB₁ or CB₂ receptors, potentiate the extinction of conditioned incentive learning.     

Naltrexone does not attenuate the effects of intravenous Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in healthy humans

Although a wealth of preclinical evidence indicates an interplay between the μ-opioid (MOR) and cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) systems, the precise nature of the cross modulation in humans is unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of pretreatment with the MOR antagonist, naltrexone, on the subjective, behavioural and cognitive effects of the CB1R agonist, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), in healthy human subjects. Healthy human subjects, screened carefully for any medical or psychiatric illness, were administered either placebo or active naltrexone (25 mg) orally on each test day, followed 45 min later by placebo and 165 min later by active i.v. THC (0.025 mg/kg) in a randomized, fixed-order, double-blind manner. Subjective, behavioural and cognitive effects were assessed before and at several points after each drug administration. THC produced expected effects, including euphoria, anxiety, transient perceptual alterations, transient psychotomimetic effects and cognitive impairments. However, naltrexone did not produce any effects alone, nor did it attenuate any of THC's effects. Thus, in healthy human subjects who use cannabis intermittently, MOR antagonism does not modulate the common acute subjective, behavioural and cognitive effects of THC.     

Self-administration of Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) by drug naive squirrel monkeys

Rationale Interest in therapeutic activities of cannabinoids has been restrained by the fact that they are most often mediated through activation of cannabinoid CB₁ receptors, the same receptors that mediate the effects of ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and are responsible for the abuse liability of marijuana. Persistent intravenous self-administration of THC by animals was first demonstrated in squirrel monkeys and shown to be mediated by CB₁ receptors, but monkeys in the study had a history of cocaine self-administration, raising the possibility that persistent neurobiological adaptations might subsequently predispose animals to self-administer THC.Objectives To demonstrate persistent intravenous self-administration of THC in drug-naive squirrel monkeys.Methods Monkeys with no history of exposure to other drugs learned to press a lever for intravenous injections (0.2 ml in 0.2 s) of THC under a 10-response, fixed-ratio schedule with a 60-s time-out after each injection. Acquisition of THC self-administration was rapid and the final schedule was reached in 11–34 sessions. Dose of THC was then varied from 1 to 16 µg/kg per injection with vehicle extinction following each dose of THC.Results THC maintained significantly higher numbers of self-administered injections per session and higher rates of responding than vehicle at doses of 2, 4 and 8 µg/kg per injection, with maximal rates of responding at 4 µg/kg per injection. Response rates, injections per session and total THC intake per session were two- to three-fold greater in monkeys with no history of exposure to other drugs compared to previous findings in monkeys with a history of cocaine self-administration.Conclusions THC can act as an effective reinforcer of drug-taking behavior in monkeys with no history of exposure to other drugs, suggesting that self-administration of THC by monkeys provides a reliable animal model of human marijuana abuse.     

Effects of haloperidol on the behavioral, subjective, cognitive, motor, and neuroendocrine effects of Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans

INTRODUCTION: Cannabinoids produce a spectrum of effects in humans including euphoria, cognitive impairments, psychotomimetic effects, and perceptual alterations. The extent to which dopaminergic systems contribute to the effects of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9-THC) remains unclear. This study evaluated whether pretreatment with a dopamine receptor antagonist altered the effects of Delta-9-THC in humans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a 2-test-day double-blind study, 28 subjects including healthy subjects (n = 17) and frequent users of cannabis (n = 11) were administered active (0.057 mg/kg) or placebo oral haloperidol in random order followed 90 and 215 min later by fixed order intravenous administration of placebo (vehicle) and active (0.0286 mg/kg) Delta-9-THC, respectively. RESULTS: Consistent with previous reports, intravenous Delta-9-THC produced psychotomimetic effects, perceptual alterations, and subjective effects including "high." Delta-9-THC also impaired verbal recall and attention. Haloperidol pretreatment did not reduce any of the behavioral effects of Delta-9-THC. Haloperidol worsened the immediate free and delayed free and cued recall deficits produced by Delta-9-THC. Haloperidol and Delta-9-THC worsened distractibility and vigilance. Neither drug impaired performance on a motor screening task, the Stockings of Cambridge task, or the delayed match to sample task. Frequent users had lower baseline plasma prolactin levels and blunted Delta-9-THC induced memory impairments. CONCLUSIONS: The deleterious effects of haloperidol pretreatment on the cognitive effects of Delta-9-THC are consistent with the preclinical literature in suggesting crosstalk between DAergic and CBergic systems. However, it is unlikely that DA D(2) receptor mechanisms play a major role in mediating the psychotomimetic and perceptual altering effects of Delta-9-THC. Further investigation is warranted to understand the basis of the psychotomimetic effects of Delta-9-THC and to better understand the crosstalk between DAergic and CBergic systems.     

Relationships between several pharmacokinetic parameters and psychometric indices of subjective effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in man

This study explored the relationships in man between various pharmacological effect of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), plasma THC concentration, and pharmacokinetic parameters of THC. Three male and three female experienced marihuana users smoked two standard marihuana cigarettes. The relationships between heart rate, subjective "high" rating, Linear Mood Scale factors, and plasma THC concentration were assessed. Significant correlations were observed between various Linear Mood Scale factors and pharmacokinetic parameters reflecting the magnitude of drug intake and the degree of temporal dissociation between the time courses of plasma THC concentration and pharmacological effects (tachycardiac effect, "high"). In particular, the disturbed/weird and sensitive/aware mood factors correlated positively with pharmacokinetic measures of drug intake and time lag to effect. A more reliable index of intoxication with THC may be provided by the global subjective "high" rating, rather than other ratings more specific for particular moods.     

Involvement of opioid system in cognitive deficits induced by ∆<Superscript>9</Superscript>-tetrahydrocannabinol in rats

Rationale  

Cannabis is a widely used illicit substance. ∆⁹-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive component of cannabis, is known to induce cognitive deficits that closely resemble the impairment observed in schizophrenic patients. We previously reported that THC (6 mg/kg) impairs spatial memory in the eight-arm radial maze, and that this memory disturbance was reversed by the cannabinoid CB₁ receptor antagonist rimonabant (0.1 mg/kg), suggesting that the effect of THC is mediated through cannabinoid CB₁ receptors.     

Effects of Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-THC and WIN-55,212-2 on place preference in the water maze in rats

Abstract Rationale. Cannabinoids such as Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) or WIN-55,212–2 (WIN-2) have psychoactive effects on cognition. As a result, the reinforcing properties of Δ⁹-THC or WIN-2 may confound learning and memory tests with false negative results. It therefore seems advisable to assess the reinforcing properties of the drugs in the same behavioural model used for learning experiments. Objective. We therefore developed conditioned place preference protocols in the open-field water maze and tested both Δ⁹-THC (2 mg/kg) and WIN-2 (1 mg/kg and 3 mg/kg). Given that previous reports on cannabinoids have revealed conflicting data and that this was a novel behavioural test, we also tested the benzodiazepine receptor agonist diazepam (2.5 mg/kg). Some methodical refinements were appropriate in order to determine the behavioural strategy implemented by the animals. Methods. All animals were injected intraperitoneally 30 min prior to training/testing. In experiment 1, male hooded Lister rats injected with drug were repeatedly placed on the drug-related platform and subsequently tested for place preference. In experiment 2, rats were trained to swim to the drug platform on drug days and to the vehicle platform on vehicle days. A series of probe trials was introduced to delineate what had been learned. Experiment 3 studied the effect of WIN-2 on spatial learning in the water maze. Results. Neither WIN-2 nor Δ⁹-THC induced place preference in the water maze. When trained in the swim procedure, however, WIN-2 was neutral, but Δ⁹-THC resulted in place aversion. Conversely, diazepam consistently produced place preference in both procedures. WIN-2 (3 mg/kg), however, produced a small learning deficit in the spatial water maze task. Conclusion. It appears that the reinforcing properties of Δ⁹-THC and WIN-2 in the doses used here are different, despite them both being agonists at cannabinoid receptors within the central nervous system. The fact that Δ⁹-THC may be aversively related to a particular context has implications for previous work reporting deficits in spatial learning. Electronic Publication     

Interactions between Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-tetrahydrocannabinol and <Emphasis Type="Bold">μ</Emphasis> opioid receptor agonists in rhesus monkeys: discrimination and antinociception

RATIONALE: Opioid receptor agonists can enhance some effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists, and cannabinoid receptor agonists can enhance some effects of opioid receptor agonists; however, the generality of these interactions is not established. OBJECTIVE: This study examined interactions between the discriminative stimulus and antinociceptive effects of mu opioid receptor agonists and Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in rhesus monkeys. RESULTS: Neither heroin nor morphine (intravenous (i.v.) or subcutaneous (s.c.)) altered the discriminative stimulus effects of THC in monkeys (n = 5) discriminating 0.1 mg/kg THC i.v. In contrast, THC (s.c.) markedly attenuated the discriminative stimulus effect of morphine and heroin in nondependent monkeys (n = 4) discriminating 1.78 mg/kg morphine s.c. Doses of THC that attenuated the discriminative stimulus effects of morphine in nondependent monkeys failed to modify the discriminative stimulus effects of morphine in morphine-dependent (5.6 mg/kg/12 h) monkeys (n = 4) discriminating 0.0178 mg/kg naltrexone s.c. THC also failed to modify the discriminative stimulus effects of naltrexone in morphine-dependent monkeys or the effects of midazolam in monkeys (n = 4) discriminating 0.32 mg/kg midazolam s.c. Doses of THC (s.c.) that attenuated the discriminative stimulus effects of morphine in nondependent monkeys enhanced the antinociceptive effects of morphine (s.c.) in nondependent monkeys. While mu receptor agonists did not alter the discriminative stimulus effects of THC, THC altered the effects of mu receptor agonists in a context-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: That the same doses of THC enhance, attenuate, or do not affect morphine, depending on the condition, suggests that attenuation of morphine by THC can result from perceptual masking rather than common pharmacodynamic mechanisms or pharmacokinetic interactions.     

Metabolic mapping of the time-dependent effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol administration in the rat

RATIONALE: Delta(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has a long duration of action. Studies have shown that effects on some behavioral endpoints can persist for as long as 24 h after exposure, but the neural substrates underlying these long-lasting effects have not yet been determined. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to identify the neuroanatomical substrates associated with the temporal course of the effects of the acute administration of moderate to high doses of THC using the quantitative autoradiographic 2-[(14)C]deoxyglucose (2DG) method. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats ( n=4-5 per group) were administered THC (0.0, 2.5 or 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally), and the 2DG procedure was initiated 15 min, 6 h, or 24 h after treatment. To establish the behavioral profile of THC administration, locomotor activity and core body temperature were measured at corresponding time points. RESULTS: The administration of THC produced widespread dose-dependent reductions in rates of cerebral metabolism when the 2DG method was applied 15 min after treatment. A more limited set of structures was affected when the 2DG method was applied 6 h after THC administration, closely paralleling the effects of THC on locomotor activity and core body temperature. However, 24 h after administration, glucose utilization remained depressed within mesolimbic and amygdalar regions. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that the functional consequences of acute administration of THC follow a distinct temporal course that is regionally specific. That functional activity remains depressed in areas involved in the processing of motivational and emotional information suggests that behaviors subserved by these structures (e.g. anxiety, stress, and reward) may remain altered for as long as 24 h after a single exposure to THC.     

Brain imaging study of the acute effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on attention and motor coordination in regular users of marijuana

Procedure Twelve regular users of marijuana underwent two positron emission tomography (PET) scans using [¹⁸F] Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), one while subject to the effects of 17 mg THC, the other without THC. In both sessions, a virtual reality maze task was performed during the FDG uptake period. Results When subject to the effects of 17 mg THC, regular marijuana smokers hit the walls more often on the virtual maze task than without THC. Compared to results without THC, 17 mg THC increased brain metabolism during task performance in areas that are associated with motor coordination and attention in the middle and medial frontal cortices and anterior cingulate, and reduced metabolism in areas that are related to visual integration of motion in the occipital lobes. Conclusion These findings suggest that in regular marijuana users, the immediate effects of marijuana may impact on cognitive–motor skills and brain mechanisms that modulate coordinated movement and driving.     

Testing the effects of Δ9-THC and D-cycloserine on extinction of conditioned fear in humans

Preclinical evidence implicates several neurotransmitter systems in the extinction of conditioned fear. These results are of great interest, because the reduction of acquired fear associations is critical in therapies for anxiety disorders. We tested whether findings with respect to the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and cannabinoid receptor (CB) systems in animals carry over to healthy human subjects. To that end, we administered selected doses of D-cycloserine (partial NMDA receptor agonist, 250 mg), delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, CB(1) receptor agonist, 10 mg), or placebo prior to the extinction session of a 3-day conditioning protocol. D-cycloserine did not affect within-session extinction, or the retention of extinction in healthy human participants, in contrast with patient data but in line with previous reports in healthy volunteers. During extinction training, Δ9-THC reduced conditioned skin conductance responses, but not fear-potentiated startle. This effect was not retained at the retention test 2 days later, suggesting it was dependent on acute effects of the drug. Our findings implicate that facilitation of the CB(1) or NMDA system with the substances used in this study does not affect conditioned fear extinction lastingly in healthy humans. The apparent discrepancy between these findings and the results from (pre-)clinical trials is discussed in terms of room for improvement in these systems in healthy volunteers, and the lack of specificity of THC as a CB(1) agonist.     

The effects of morphine and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol on motor activity in rats

Acute treatment of rats either by high doses of morphine or ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) decreased locomotor activity. Naloxone reversed morphine-induced depression completely and reversed THC-induced depression only partially. On day 3 of treatment, tolerance developed to the locomotor inhibitory action of THC or morphine and partial cross-tolerance was observed to the depressant action of THC. Naloxone slightly depressed locomotor activity in THC-tolerant rats, but increased motor activity in morphine-tolerant rats.     

Chronic Δ<Superscript>9</Superscript>-Tetrahydrocannabinol Administration Reduces IgE<Superscript>+</Superscript>B Cells but Unlikely Enhances Pathogenic SIV<Subscript>mac251</Subscript> Infection in Male Rhesus Macaques of Chinese Origin

Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) is the major psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Δ⁹-THC has been used in the active ingredient of Marinol as an appetite stimulant for AIDS patients. Its impact on progression of HIV-1 infection, however, remains debatable. Previous studies indicated that Δ⁹-THC administration enhanced HIV-1 infection in huPBL-SCID mice but seemingly decreased early mortality in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infected male Indian-derived rhesus macaques. Here, we determine the chronic effect of Δ⁹-THC administration using 0.32 mg/kg or placebo (PBO), i.m., twice daily for 428 days on SIV_mac251 infected male Chinese-derived rhesus macaques. Sixteen animals were divided into four study groups: Δ⁹-THC⁺SIV⁺, Δ⁹-THC⁺SIV^?, PBO/SIV⁺ and PBO/SIV^? (n = 4/group). One-month after daily Δ⁹-THC or PBO administrations, macaques in groups one and three were challenged intravenously with pathogenic SIV_mac251/CNS, which was isolated from the brain of a Chinese macaque with end-staged neuroAIDS. No significant differences in peak and steady state plasma viral loads were seen between Δ⁹-THC⁺SIV⁺ and PBO/SIV⁺ macaques. Regardless of Δ⁹-THC, all infected macaques displayed significant drop of CD4/CD8 T cell ratio, loss of CD4⁺ T cells and higher persistent levels of Ki67⁺CD8⁺ T cells compared with uninfected animals. Moreover, long-term Δ⁹-THC treatment reduced significantly the frequency of circulating IgE⁺B cells. Only one Δ⁹-THC⁺SIV⁺ macaque died of simian AIDS with paralyzed limbs compared with two deaths in the PBO/SIV⁺ group during the study period. These findings indicate that chronic Δ⁹-THC administration resulted in reduction of IgE⁺B cells, yet it unlikely enhanced pathogenic SIV_mac251/CNS infection in male Rhesus macaques of Chinese origin.     

Stimulatory effect of Coca-Cola<Superscript>TM</Superscript> on gastroduodenal HCO<Stack><Subscript>3</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript></Stack> secretion in rats

We examined the effect of various carbonated beverages, especially Coca-Cola^TM, on the HCO₃⁻ secretion in the rat stomach and duodenum. Under urethane anaesthesia, a chambered stomach or a proximal duodenal loop was perfused with saline, and HCO₃⁻ secretion was measured at pH 7.0 using a pH-stat method and by adding 2 mM HCl. The amount of CO₂ contained in these beverages was about 4–7 g/mL. Coca-Cola^TM topically applied to the mucosa for 10 min significantly increased the HCO₃⁻ secretion in both the stomach and the duodenum. The HCO₃⁻ response in the duodenum was totally abolished by indomethacin and also partially inhibited by acetazolamide, an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase. Likewise, the response in the stomach was also markedly inhibited by either acetazolamide or indomethacin. The mucosal application of Coca-Cola^TM increased the PGE₂ contents in both the stomach and the duodenum. Other carbonated beverages, such as sparkling water, Fanta Grape^TM or cider, also increased the HCO₃⁻ secretion in these tissues. These results suggest that Coca-Cola^TM induces HCO₃⁻ secretion in both the stomach and the duodenum, and these responses may be attributable to both the intracellular supply of HCO₃⁻ generated via carbonic anhydrase, and endogenous PGs, probably related to the acidic pH of the solution. Received 4 August 2006; accepted 10 November 2006     

Comparison of the α-adrenoceptor-mediated effects of β<Subscript>3</Subscript>-adrenoceptor ligands in rat pulmonary artery

We have recently shown that the -adrenoceptor ligands CGP 12177, bupranolol, and SR 59230A (aryloxypropanolamines), but not BRL 37344 and CL 316243 (phenylethanolamines), exhibit significant affinity for ₁-adrenoceptors and that CGP 12177 displays partial agonist properties at -adrenoceptors in rat pulmonary artery. In this study, bupranolol and SR 59230A were further evaluated for their potential -adrenoceptor mediated effects (i.e., agonist and/or antagonist properties) in rat intralobar pulmonary artery and compared with BRL 37344 and CL 316243. Bupranolol induced a relaxation in phenylephrine-precontracted arteries, but had no effect in prostaglandin -precontracted ones. SR 59230A also elicited a relaxation in phenylephrine-precontracted arteries. In -precontracted arteries, SR 59230A induced a contractile response that was insensitive to the irreversible -adrenoceptor antagonist phenoxybenzamine. BRL 37344 at high concentrations, but not CL 316243, produced slight relaxation in both phenylephrine- and -precontracted arteries. The contractile response to phenylephrine was antagonized by bupranolol and SR 59230A in a competitive manner (pA₂: 6.38 and 7.08 respectively). The concentration–response curve to phenylephrine was also shifted to the right by BRL 37344 (mean pK_b: 4.45), but not by CL 316243 (100 M). This study indicates that the aryloxypropanolamine derivatives bupranolol and SR 59230A exhibit competitive antagonist, but no agonist properties on ₁-adrenoceptors, SR 59230A also inducing -adrenoceptor-independent contraction. Among the phenylethanolamines, BRL 37344 but not CL 316243, also exerts an antagonist effect on ₁-adrenoceptors, with a much lower potency than the aryloxypropanolamines studied.     

β<Superscript>2</Superscript>/β<Superscript>3</Superscript>-di- and α/β<Superscript>3</Superscript>-tetrapeptide derivatives as potent agonists at somatostatin sst<Subscript>4</Subscript> receptors

Four linear beta(2)/beta(3)-di- and alpha/beta(3)-tetrapeptides (1-4) were investigated as somatostatin sst(4) receptor agonists on recombinant human and mouse somatostatin receptors. Human somatostatin receptor subtypes 1-5 (sst(1-5)), and mouse somatostatin receptor subtypes 1,3,4 and 5, were characterised using the agonist radioligands [(125)I]LTT-SRIF-28, [(125)I][Tyr(10)]CST(14) and [(125)I]CGP 23996 in stably transfected Chinese hamster lung fibroblast (CCL39) cells. The peptides bound selectively to sst(4) receptors with nanomolar affinity (pK(d)=5.4-7.8). The peptides were investigated on second messenger systems both as agonists, and as antagonists to SRIF-14-mediated effects in CCL39 cells expressing mouse sst(4 )receptors, via measurement of inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity, and stimulation of luciferase expression. The peptides showed full agonism or pronounced partial agonism (40 to 100% relative intrinsic activity) in both inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity (pEC(50)=5.5-6.8), and luciferase expression (pEC(50)=5.5-6.5). The agonist potential was confirmed since antagonism was very difficult to establish. The data show that beta(2)/beta(3)-di- and alpha/beta(3)-tetrapeptide derivatives have agonist potential at recombinant somatostatin sst(4) receptors. Therefore, they may be used to elucidate physiological and biochemical effects mediated by sst(4), and may also have potential as therapeutic agents.