Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lodz, Muszynskiego 1, PL 90-151 Lodz, Poland.
Physiol Behav. 2011 Mar 28;102(5):538-41. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2010.12.021. Epub 2010 Dec 25.
Many recent researches have confirmed the effectiveness of antiepileptic drugs in preventing alcohol dependency, whereas our previous study showed that repeated treatment with topiramate, a new antiepileptic drug, was effective in increasing the plasma levels of beta-endorphin (an endogenous opioid peptide) in rats. It is well documented that in humans a genetic deficit of beta-endorphin is often associated with alcohol addiction as alcohol consumption elevates the level of this peptide. The aim of the present study is multifaceted: to investigate the effect of repeated treatment of levetiracetam (50 or 100mg/kg b.w., twice daily) on voluntary alcohol intake in alcohol preferring rats (Warsaw High Preferring; WHP) and to assess changes in plasma beta-endorphin levels while alcohol is available and when it is not available for an extended period of time. We observed a noticeable increase in the levels of beta-endorphin in rats with free access to alcohol whether in a prolonged levetiracetam-treated or vehicle-treated group. However, in the levetiracetam group, a voluntary intake of alcohol diminished in comparison with both the pretreatment period and in comparison with the vehicle-treated rats. A similar increase in the plasma beta-endorphin levels was observed in levetiracetam-treated rats that did not have access to ethanol. This finding lets us to believe that levetiracetam may be a promising medication in treatment of alcohol dependency as its application leads to the increase in the beta-endorphin concentration and ultimately results in reducing deficiency of this peptide.
许多最近的研究证实了抗癫痫药物在预防酒精依赖方面的有效性，而我们之前的研究表明，反复使用新型抗癫痫药物托吡酯可有效增加大鼠血浆β-内啡肽（一种内源性阿片肽）的水平。有充分的文献记载表明，在人类中，β-内啡肽的遗传缺陷常常与酒精成瘾有关，因为饮酒会提高这种肽的水平。本研究的目的是多方面的：研究反复给予左乙拉西坦（50 或 100mg/kg b.w.，每日两次）对酒精偏好大鼠（华沙高偏好；WHP）自愿饮酒的影响，并评估在有和没有可延长时间的酒精时血浆β-内啡肽水平的变化。我们观察到，无论在长期左乙拉西坦治疗组还是载体治疗组，有自由接触酒精的大鼠β-内啡肽水平明显升高。然而，与治疗前时期和载体治疗大鼠相比，左乙拉西坦组大鼠的酒精自愿摄入量减少。在没有接触乙醇的左乙拉西坦治疗大鼠中也观察到血浆β-内啡肽水平的类似增加。这一发现使我们相信，左乙拉西坦可能是治疗酒精依赖的一种有前途的药物，因为它的应用会导致β-内啡肽浓度的增加，最终导致这种肽的缺乏得到缓解。
