Abstract

PARO, Ana Helena; AIZENSTEIN, Moacyr Luiz; DELUCIA, Roberto  and  PLANETA, Cleópatra Silva. Repeated administration of caffeine increases femproporex-induced locomotor activity in adolescent and adult rats. Rev. Bras. Cienc. Farm. [online]. 2008, vol.44, n.3, pp. 417-424. ISSN 1516-9332.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-93322008000300011.

Caffeine and femproporex are psychostimulants drugs widely consumed in Brazil. Behavioral sensitization is defined as an augmentation in the behavioral effect of a psychostimulant upon re-administration. Repeated administration of a psychostimulant produces behavioral sensitization to that drug and cross-sensitization to other drugs. We investigated whether repeated administration of caffeine increases femproporex-induced locomotor activity in adolescent and adult rats. Forty-eight adolescent (postnatal day 27) and 32 adult (postnatal day 60) received i.p. injections of caffeine (CAF) (10.0 mg/kg) (adolescent N = 24; adult N = 16)) or saline (adolescent N = 24; adult N = 16) once daily for ten days. Three days following the last injection each group was subdivided and received a challenge injection of femproporex (2.0 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline. Locomotor activity was recorded for 1 hour in 5 - minute intervals. Our results showed that repeated injections of caffeine increased femproporex - induced locomotor activity in adult and adolescent rats.

Keywords : Caffeine; Femproporex; Locomotor activity [experimental study]; Psychostimulants.