Enkephalinase inhibition: regulation of ethanol intake in genetically predisposed mice.

This is the first report of alteration in alcohol intake in mice with a genetic predisposition to alcohol preference and known to have innate brain enkephalin deficiencies. We have been able to significantly attenuate both volitional and forced ethanol intake respectively by acute and chronic treatment with hydrocinnamic acid and D-phenylalanine, known carboxypeptidase (enkephalinase) inhibitors. Since these agents, through their enkephalinase inhibitory activity, raise brain enkephalin levels, we propose that excessive alcohol intake can be regulated by alteration of endogenous brain opioid peptides.