Factors influencing the aggressiveness elicited by marihuana in food‐deprived rats

Abstract

Summary1. Aggressive behaviour was elicited in rats that had been deprived of food for 20 h daily (starved), by chronic administration of Cannabis sativa extract or (-)-A9-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol. 2. The influence of intraperitoneal (i.p.) or oral glucose administration, cold environment, acidosis, and corn, and protein-free diets on this aggressiveness was studied. 3. Intraperitoneal injections of glucose (100-1,600 mg/kg) did not alter the aggressiveness induced by marihuana in starved rats; glucose given orally, however, blocked this behaviour. 4. Low temperature (140 C) strongly potentiated the aggressive behaviour induced by marihuana in the starved rats. 5. Lactic acid in doses capable of potentiating thiopental anaesthesia, failed to alter the marihuana-aggressiveness of starved rats or to facilitate this effect of marihuana in rats fed ad libitum. The same negative results were obtained with ammonium chloride. 6. In rats fed ad libitum with protein-free or corn diets, marihuana administered chronically did not elicit aggressive behaviour. However, aggressiveness appeared when rats were fed for only 2 h daily on those diets. 7. The results suggest that the stress of hunger (and not hypoglycaemia,-acidosis or lack of specific nutrients due to starvation) is the factor that facilitates the development of aggressive behaviour by chronic administration of marihuana.

Effects of Marijuana Extract Distillate and Cannabidiol on Variable Interval Performance as a Function of Food Deprivation

“…Since lower pH increases the passage of drugs which are weak acids across the blood brain barrier, it is possible that the phenolic moiety of THC may penetrate the brain to a greater extent at high levels of deprivation than at low levels of deprivation. This effect is unlikely since Carlini et al (3) demonstrated that administration of lactic acid did not cause cannabis to elicit aggressiveness in rats on ad libitum food or in those which were deprived of food. Lactic acid did, however, potentiate the effect of thiopen tal.…”

The relationship between cannabis and violence: A review.

“…There is also a certain amount of evidence from the animal literature (see review by Abel, 1974) suggesting that in combination with stress (e.g., food deprivation, cold, pain, sleep deprivation, withdrawal from morphine), cannabis can increase irritability and aggression (Alves, Goyos, & Carlini, 1973;Carlini & Gonzalez, 1972;Carlini, Hamaoui, & Martz, 1972;Carlini & Masur, 1970). Moreover, this effect appears to be specific to cannabis, since it does not occur in conjunction with alcohol, amphetamine, amylbarbital, caffeine, LSD, or mescaline (Alves et al, 1973;Carlini & Masur, 1970).…”

PROCEEDINGS OF THE British Pharmacological Society

“…Other findings are in agreement (Barasi & Roberts, 1974;Marsden & Curzon, 1975 Cannabinoids produce behavioural changes dependent on the environmental conditions under which they are administered (e.g. Carlini, Hamaoui & Martz, 1972). Biochemical changes, also, may be influenced by environment (Littleton & MacLean, 1974).…”