Resch Garth E, Simpson C Wayne
Division of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110-2792, USA.
Peptides. 2008 Mar;29(3):430-9. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2007.11.009. Epub 2007 Nov 22.
Peptide inhibitors of ethanol consumption have shown promise. The purpose of this study was to test the cyclized form of the opioid-derived dipeptide, glycyl-L-glutamine to reduce ethanol consumption after either peripheral injections or site-specific injections into the nucleus accumbens (NAC) of high drinking and low drinking rats. Following I.P. cyclo-glycyl-glutamine (c-GQ), the data show a mean decrease in ethanol intake of 34.4% in P rats, and 39.4% in Sprague-Dawley rats at doses between 5 and 25mg/kg. The data show that peripherally administered c-GQ is effective in reducing ethanol consumption in both high (P) and low (SD) drinking strains of rats and suggests a therapeutic potential.