Dose-dependent suppression of the high alcohol intake of chronically intoxicated rats by Ca-acetyl homotaurinate.

The effect of taurine derivative, Ca-acetyl homotaurinate, on voluntary alcohol intake was investigated in ethanol-dependent and naive rats. A high 24 hr oral intake of a 10% ethyl alcohol solution (9-10 g/kg) was exhibited by rats following 15 days of intragastric infusions of ethanol (7-8 g/kg/day). In four groups, rats were IG injected by short pulses of isotonic saline or a daily dose of 200, 300 and 450 mg/kg respectively, distributed over six daily infusions during alternating 8 hr presentations of ethanol solution and water. Compared to their respective basal intakes during the first two days of injection, the rats demonstrated a dose-dependent 50 to 70% reduction in alcohol consumption with drug treatment. This suppression effect was specific to the ethanol solution and persisted during 4 days of post-treatment observation. In ethanol-naive rats similarly tested and drinking half the amount of alcohol drunk by their ethanol-dependent counterparts, only the highest dose of drug (450 mg/kg) significantly suppressed their alcohol intake. It is suggested that Ca-acetyl homotaurinate interacts with CNS mechanisms involved in the ethanol tolerance-dependence state, underlying an enhanced reinforcing property of ethanol oral intake. Opioid receptors could be the targets in this action.