Gs. Morato et al., Effects of central and systemic injections of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligands on the anxiolytic actions of ethanol in rats, ADDICT BIOL, 6(2), 2001, pp. 129-136
The influence of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor ligands Ro5-4864 (0.05
or 1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) or PK11195 (0.05 or 1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) on the anxiolytic
effect of ethanol (1.2 g/kg; 14% p/v; i.p.) was investigated in rats tested
on the elevated plus-maze. Other animals were injected through intrahippoc
ampal administrations of the ligands (0.5 or 1.0 nmol/0.5 mul) before ethan
ol (1.2 g/kg; 14% p/v; i.p) and submitted to the elevated plus-maze test. T
he results showed that the systemic administration of either ligands 24 hou
rs before the ethanol treatment resulted in a reduced anxiolytic effect of
this drug. Only PK11195 reversed the effect of ethanol after intrahippocamp
al injection. These data suggest that peripheral benzodiazepine receptors p
lays a role in ethanol anxiolysis.