Abstract
Behavioral characteristics of ceruletide, a cholecystokinin-like decapeptide, were investigated by means of ambulatory activity in mice. Ceruletide at 100 and 300 μg/kg, i.p. slightly but significantly decreased the mouse's activity for 20 min. Therefore, 100 μg/kg of ceruletide was used in the experiment of combined administration with the central-acting drugs. Ceruletide reduced the increased activity which was produced by methamphetamine (2 mg/kg, s.c.), ephedrine (80 mg/kg, i.p.), methylphenidate (4 mg/kg, s.c.), cocaine (20 mg/kg, s.c), mazindol (2.5 mg/kg, s.c.), apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.), bromocriptine (8 mg/kg, i.p.), scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.), caffeine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) and morphine (20 mg/kg, s.c.) with different potencies and durations. The mice that had experienced ceruletide at 3 μg/kg for 5 times at intervals of 3 ?? 4 days demonstrated a significant increase in the sensitivity to methamphetamine, although the same treatment with 10 ?? 300 μg/kg of ceruletide was without effect. On the other hand, when 3 ?? 300 μg/kg of ceruletide was combined with 2 mg/kg of methamphetamine, the development of reverse tolerance to the ambulation-increasing effect of methaphetamine was inhibited dependently on the doses of ceruletide. However, the reverse tolerance to methamphetamine once established was scarcely modified by ceruletide when it was administered afterwards.
