Comparative behavioral pharmacology and toxicology of cocaine and its ethanol-derived metabolite, cocaine ethyl-ester (cocaethylene)

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Life Sciences; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(92)90286-X· OSTI ID:5370490

Katz, J L; Terry, P; Witkin, J M ^[1]

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1. NIDA Addiction Research Center, Baltimore, MD (United States)

The present study compared the behavioral and toxic effects of cocaine and its ethanol derived metabolite, cocaine ethyl-ester (cocaethylene). Both drugs produced qualitatively similar psychomoter stimulant effects. Cocaine and cocaethylene increased locomotor activity in mice, with cocaine approximately four times more potent than cocaethylene. The durations of action of ED{sub 75} doses of each of the drugs were comparable. Each of the drugs also produced stimulation of operant responding in rats. In rats and squirrel monkeys trained to discriminate cocaine injections from saline, cocaine was approximately three to five times more potent than cocaethylene in producing these cocaine-like interoceptive effects. In contrast to the behavioral effects, cocaine and cocaethylene were equipotent in producing convulsions, and cocaethylene was more potent than cocaine in producing lethality. These results suggest that the conversion of cocaine to cocaethylene with simultaneous cocaine and alcohol use may produce an increased risk of toxicity due to a decrease in the potency of cocaethylene in producing psychomotor stimulant effects, and its increased potency in producing toxicity.

• OSTI ID: 5370490
• Journal Information: Life Sciences; (United States), Vol. 50:18; ISSN 0024-3205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
COCAINE
TOXICITY
ETHANOL
BEHAVIOR
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
METABOLISM
METABOLITES
MICE
MONKEYS
RATS
ALCOHOLS
ALKALOIDS
ANESTHETICS
ANIMALS
ANTIDEPRESSANTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS
DRUGS
EVALUATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology