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COMPARISON OF WEEKLY EXPOSURES TO ANATOXIN-A AND NICOTINE ON THE MOTOR ACTIVITY OF RATS.
Citation:
Jarema, K A., J D. Farmer, AND R C. MacPhail. COMPARISON OF WEEKLY EXPOSURES TO ANATOXIN-A AND NICOTINE ON THE MOTOR ACTIVITY OF RATS. Presented at Society of Toxicology, New Orleans, LA, March 06 - 10, 2005.
Description:
Anatoxin-a is a nicotinic cholinergic agonist that is produced by several genera of cyanobacteria, and has been implicated in several poisoning episodes of wildlife, livestock, domestic animals and people. Previous research on nicotine has obtained tolerance and sensitization to its effects on motor activity even when it was administered at weekly intervals. We therefore compared the effects of weekly anatoxin-a and nicotine on the motor activity of rats. Adult male Long Evans rats were tested daily (M-F) in a photocell device, that recorded both horizontal and vertical activity, during 30-min sessions. Anatoxin-a and nicotine were given s.c. once a week for four weeks, just prior to a test session. Anatoxin-a was given as the (+) isomer and as the racemate. Dose ranges for each compound were: (+)anatoxin-a, 75-225 ug/kg; (+/-) anatoxin-a, 200-950 ug/kg; and (-)nicotine, 300-1800 ug/kg. Each experiment also included a saline-vehicle control group. Nicotine initially decreased both horizontal and vertical activity. Tolerance developed to nicotine's effects with weekly administration. Both forms of anatoxin-a also initially decreased horizontal and vertical activity. In contrast to nicotine, however, the effects of either form of anatoxin-a did not change with weekly administration. Thus, anatoxin-a and nicotine can be distinguished by their effects on motor activity with weekly treatment.
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