Objective:The objective was to evaluate the acute effect of melatonin on ethanol drinking in ethanol naïve rats and to determine the specificity of the effect of melatonin on ethanol intake as compared to an intake of plain tap water or sugar water.Materials and Methods:A total of three experiments (2 weeks duration each) using different drinking solutions (ethanol, plain tap water, sugar water) was conducted in individually housed male wistar rats of 5 weeks age. Each animal had access to bottles containing drinking solutions for 2 h a day. In each experiment, on day 1, day 2, day 4, day 5, day 8, day 9, day 11, day 12 rats received drinking solutions. Each individual rat received single doses of saline, melatonin (50 mg and 100 mg/kg), and naltrexone on day 2, 5, 9, and 12, 1-h before receiving drinking solution. The order of drug administration is permuted such a way that each animal received the drugs in a different order in different experiments.Results:Melatonin has significantly decreased ethanol consumption by the rats and effect is dose-dependent. Naltrexone also has caused a significant reduction in the ethanol consumption. The maximum reduction in ethanol consumption was seen with melatonin 100 mg/kg dose compared to melatonin 50 mg/kg and naltrexone. There was no statistically significant effect of melatonin on plain water and sugar solution intake.Conclusions:Melatonin decreases ethanol consumption in ethanol naïve rats. The effect of melatonin is similar to naltrexone affecting selectively ethanol consumption, but not plain water and sugar water consumption.
AIM:To study the effect of lesion of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) on food intake, water intake, alcohol consumption, and alcohol preference in the post-lesion period. MATERIAL and METHODS:A group of 38 young adult healthy male Wistar albino rats was included in this experiment. The groups of rats were subjected to the bilateral electrolytic lesion of VTA, and the effect on water intake, food intake, alcohol consumption, and alcohol preference in the post-lesion period was analyzed. A sham lesioned control group was maintained for all experimental groups. RESULTS:There was no change observed in food intake and the body weight in lesioned animals (p>0.05). It was found that increased water intake was observed if only water was given. There was also increased alcohol intake when alcohol was only provided (p<0.05). However, two bottle-free choice tests for alcohol preference revealed that the rats preferred to consume water and not alcohol when the choice was given. There was an increase in the total volume consumed (p<0.05). CONCLUSION:There was an increase in water intake and no notable changes in the food intake and body weight following the lesion. When offered alone, alcohol consumption was raised, but when a choice of alcohol and water was given in a two-bottle freechoice test, rats preferred to drink water. The present study suggests that VTA lesions may be associated with increased thirst and high fluid consumption, which may have implications in water balance.
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