Involvement of endogenous digitalis-like factors in voluntary selection ofalcohol by rats

This study tested the hypothesis that endogenous digitalis-like factor (DLF ) is involved in the development of alcohol dependence ill rats, in 33 male Wistar rats in conditioned place preference (CPP) experimental, ethanol ev oked increase in time spent iii the ethanol-associated compartment (702+/-8 2, in ethanol-treated vsi 426+/-86 sec in the controls). Digoxin pretreatme nt (125 mu g/kg, i/p) did not affect the time spent in the water-associated compartment (476+/-80 sec) but prevented the acquisition of ethanol CPP (3 85+/-112 sec in ethanol-paired side, P<0.05). in a two bottle choice test, where rats (n=6 per group) chose between drinking water and 9% ethanol, imm unization against two putative DLFs, marinobufagenin and ouabain (MBG and O LC) resulted in a 60% increase of ethanol consumption. Acute intragastric a dministration of 9% ethanol to the rats was associated with increased OLC i n cerebrospinal fluid, and stimulated urinary excretion of MBG and OLC. Thu s, in rats, digoxin, which mimics the effects of ULFs, suppresses the free choice of alcohol, while immunization against DLFs is associated with alcoh ol seeking behavior, Published by Elsevier Science Inc.