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Evidence for the role of nitric oxide in caffeine-induced locomotor activity in mice

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Abstract

Rationale

Nitric oxide (NO) is implicated in the acute locomotor activating effects of some addictive drugs such as amphetamine and cocaine, but has not been investigated in the case of caffeine.

Objectives

We investigated the effects of a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor Nω-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) and a combination of l-arginine, a NO precursor, and l-NAME on caffeine induced locomotor activity in Swiss Webster mice.

Methods

Locomotor activity was recorded for 30 min immediately following caffeine (0.25–128 mg/kg) or saline administration. In a further study, l-NAME (15 and 30 mg/kg) was administered to another group of mice 30 min before caffeine (1 and 16 mg/kg) injections. Finally, l-arginine (1000 mg/kg), a nitric oxide precursor, was administered 20 min before the l-NAME (15 and 30 mg/kg) treatments and locomotor activities were again recorded immediately after caffeine (1 and 16 mg/kg) injections.

Results

Caffeine (0.5–16 mg/kg) significantly increased locomotor activity, while l-NAME (30 mg/kg) blocked caffeine (1 and 16 mg/kg)-induced locomotor activity. The low dose of l-NAME blocked only caffeine (1 mg/kg)-induced locomotor activity. l-Arginine reversed the inhibitory effects of l-NAME on caffeine-induced locomotor activity. l-NAME and l-arginine had no effect on the locomotor activity of the mice when given by themselves.

Conclusions

The results suggest that caffeine-induced locomotor activity might be modulated by NO in mice.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by State Planning Institution and Ministry of Defence of Turkish Government (grant no: DPT-MSB-3, 99K120150).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Etlik 06018, Ankara, Turkey

    Hakan Kayir & I. Tayfun Uzbay

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  1. Hakan Kayir
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  2. I. Tayfun Uzbay
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Correspondence to I. Tayfun Uzbay.

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Kayir, H., Uzbay, I.T. Evidence for the role of nitric oxide in caffeine-induced locomotor activity in mice. Psychopharmacology 172, 11–15 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1625-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-003-1625-5

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