ISRADIPINE AND NALTREXONE IN COMBINATION WITH ISRADIPINE INTERACT WITH A PERIOD OF ABSTINENCE TO REDUCE RATS INTAKES OF AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

Individually housed rats were placed on a daily regimen of only 2 hr a day to drink both water and a sweetened alcoholic beverage. Initially , rats took little ethanol, but after 3 weeks, they took, on average, >20 g/kg daily. With achievement of stable intakes, the rats were depr ived of opportunity to drink ethanol for 24 days and then the daily re gimen was reinstated, With the reinstatement, various injections were given daily for 25 days or more: placebos, doses of isradipine (1.0 or 3.0 mg/kg), naltrexone (3.0 mg/kg), and a combination of isradipine ( 1.0 mg/kg) and naltrexone (3.0 mg/kg). The combination produced favora ble effects with the fewest limiting side-effects. The period of absti nence decreased daily intakes of ethanol and interacted with the drugs to produce large, sustained decreases in intakes of ethanol.