Jeon Seo Young, Kim Yun Ji, Kim Young-Hoon, Shin Jisoon, Yun Jaesuk, Han Kyoungmoon, Park Hye-Kyung, Kim Hyung Soo, Cha Hye Jin
Pharmacological Research Division, Toxicological Evaluation and Research Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 187 Osong Saengmyeong 2-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Chungju-shi 28159, Republic of Korea.
Pharmacological Research Division, Toxicological Evaluation and Research Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, 187 Osong Saengmyeong 2-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Chungju-shi 28159, Republic of Korea.
Neurosci Lett. 2016 Aug 26;629:68-72. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.06.057. Epub 2016 Jun 28.
The abuse of alkyl nitrites is common among adolescents and young adults worldwide. However, the information regarding the effects of alkyl nitrites on the central nervous system and the associated psychological abuse potential is scarce. The abuse potential of 3 representative alkyl nitrites - isobutyl nitrite, isoamyl nitrite, and butyl nitrite - was evaluated in mice using conditioned place preference tests with an unbiased method. The dopamine levels released by synaptosomes extracted from the striatal region were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Mice treated with the test substances (50mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited a significantly increased drug-paired place preference. Moreover, greater levels of dopamine were released by striatal region synaptosomes in response to isobutyl nitrite treatment in mice. Thus, our findings suggest that alkyl nitrites could lead to psychological dependence and dopaminergic effects. Furthermore, these results provide scientific evidence to support the regulation of alkyl nitrites as psychoactive substances in the future.
