Dopaminergic inhibition involved in the alpha-naphthoxyacetic acid-induced jumping behavior in mice.

alpha-Naphthoxyacetic acid (alpha-NOAA), one of the retching-inducers, elicited a dose-dependent jumping behavior shortly after i.p. administration in doses ranging from 250 to 700 mg/kg in ddY mice, the incidence of jumping being 97% at a dose of 700 mg/kg. alpha-NOAA also induced hypothermia, retching, head shaking, salivation and lacrimation. Phentolamine, reserpine, disulfiram, tranylcypromine, haloperidol, scopolamine, bicuculline, diazepam and lithium among the drugs tested inhibited to a certain degree but not markedly the alpha-NOAA-induced jumping behavior. However, the behavior was markedly inhibited by a dopaminergic agonist, apomorphine (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and this inhibitory effect was significantly antagonized by a dopaminergic antagonist, haloperidol (2 mg/kg, i.p.). These findings suggest that the jumping behavior elicited by alpha-NOAA may be due to the inhibition of dopaminergic neuron activity.