Differential effects of benzodiazepine receptor ligands on isotonic saline and water consumption in water-deprived rats.

Water-deprived male rats were adapted to a 30 min test of water or saline drinking in a single-bottle acceptance test. The potent benzodiazepine agonist, clonazepam, produced significant increases in both water and saline consumption. Increases in the consumption of both were also obtained with the non-benzodiazepine agonist, zopiclone (a cyclopyrrolone), but not with the pyrazoloquinoline agonist, CGS 9896. Hence, some, but not all, benzodiazepine receptor agonists enhance drinking responses. The benzodiazepine receptor antagonists, Ro15-1788 and CGS 8216, had no significant effect on the intake of either isotonic saline or water. In contrast, the beta-carboline FG 7142, which has been described as an inverse agonist acting at benzodiazepine receptors, reduced both saline and water drinking at 10 and 20 mg/kg. Although the baseline level of saline drinking was considerably higher than that of water, there was no general indication that any drug effect on consumption interacted with the type of fluid in the drinking test. However, in the case of agonist-induced increases in consumption, peak effects occurred at different doses; they were lower for saline- than for water-drinking.