Abstract

Chronic administration of ethanol (2g/kg po) on days 1-6 and its withdrawal produced anxiogenic reaction in mice as assessed in the mirror chamber test. Daily administration of bupropion (2 or 5 mg/kg, ip) prior to ethanol for 6 days prevented withdrawal-induced anxiety in mice. However, acute administration of a single dose of bupropion (5 mg/kg), to animals withdrawn from ethanol, i.e. on the 7th day, did not prevent withdrawal-induced anxiety. Ethanol withdrawal also induced a significant increase in the locomotor activity of mice indicating an anxiogenic response. Administration of bupropion (2 or 5 mg/kg) prior to ethanol for 6 days also prevented withdrawal induced increased locomotor activity. Ethanol withdrawal also sensitized the convulsogenic reaction to pentylenetetrazole. A non convulsive dose (40-60 mg/kg) of pentylenetetrazole produced full blown convulsions and increased mortality rate in ethanol withdrawn mice. Both acute and chronic administration of bupropion (2 and 5 mg/kg) exhibited a significant protection against ethanol withdrawal-induced reduction in pentylenetetrazole threshold in mice.