Caffeine enhances and accelerates the expression of sensitization induced by coca paste indicating its relevance as a main adulterant
Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Caffeine is an active adulterant found in several drugs of abuse including coca paste (CP). We had previously demonstrated that caffeine potentiated the acute stimulant effect induced by CP seized samples. The role of caffeine in the expression of sensitization elicited by a CP seized sample (CP1) was here evaluated. METHODS: CP1 (equivalent dose of 10 mg/kg of cocaine), cocaine (pure, 10 mg/kg), a combination of cocaine 10 mg/kg plus caffeine 2.5 mg/kg (CP1-surrogate) and saline (control) were intraperitoneally injected in male rats under two different sensitization schedules. Ambulatory locomotion was recorded in 58 animals. RESULTS: After five daily CP1 injections and 5 days of withdrawal, CP1-challenged animals displayed a more robust sensitization than cocaine-treated animals. When a 3 injections-regime of CP1-surrogate or cocaine was assayed, only CP1-surrogate was able to elicit sensitization. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Caffeine enhances and accelerates the CP1-induced sensitization. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Results may shed light on the fast and high dependence observed in CP users.
Source: American Journal on Addictions
DOI: 10.1111/ajad.12245
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2113630754