A cembranoid from tobacco prevents the expression of nicotine-induced withdrawal behavior in planarian worms.
Submitted by Oné R Pagán on
Title | A cembranoid from tobacco prevents the expression of nicotine-induced withdrawal behavior in planarian worms. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2009 |
Authors | Pagán, OR, Rowlands, AL, Fattore, AL, Coudron, T, Urban, KR, Bidja, AH, Eterović, VA |
Journal | Eur J Pharmacol |
Volume | 615 |
Issue | 1-3 |
Pagination | 118-24 |
Date Published | 2009 Aug 1 |
ISSN | 1879-0712 |
Keywords | Animals, Behavior, Animal, Carbachol, Diterpenes, Motor Activity, Nicotine, Planarians, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Tobacco |
Abstract | Using an adaptation of published behavioral protocols, we determined that acute exposure to the cholinergic compounds nicotine and carbamylcholine decreased planarian motility in a concentration-dependent manner. A tobacco cembranoid (1S,2E,4R,6R,7E,11E)-cembra-2,7,11-triene-4,6-diol (4R-cembranoid), also decreased planarian motility. Experiments in the presence of 1 microM 4R-cembranoid did increase the IC50 for nicotine- but not carbamylcholine-induced decrease in planarian motility. When planarians were exposed for 24 h to either nicotine or carbamylcholine at concentrations near their respective IC50 values and then transferred to plain media, nicotine-exposed, but not carbamylcholine- or cembranoid-exposed worms displayed withdrawal-like distress behaviors. In experiments where planarians were pre-exposed to 100 microM nicotine for 24 h in the presence of 1 microM 4R-cembranoid, the withdrawal-like effects were significantly reduced. These results indicate that the 4R-cembranoid might have valuable applications for tobacco abuse research. This experimental approach using planarians is useful for the initial screening of compounds relevant to drug abuse and dependence. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.05.022 |
Alternate Journal | Eur. J. Pharmacol. |
PubMed ID | 19490913 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC2904570 |
Grant List | 2G12RR03035 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States G12 RR003035-24 / RR / NCRR NIH HHS / United States |