The CB(1) antagonist rimonabant is adjunctively therapeutic as well as monotherapeutic in an animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

Acute injections of 8mg/kg of 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalanine (l-DOPA) or 0.05mg/kg rimonabant equally improved contralateral forepaw stepping in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions, and their combination improved stepping more than either drug alone. However, 0.05mg/kg rimonabant did not alter the changes in stepping produced by acute injections of a dyskinesic dose of 35mg/kg l-DOPA. Thus, not only is a cannabinoid antagonist monotherapeutic in this animal model of Parkinson's disease, but it also enhances the therapeutic effect of a moderate, but not a high, dose of l-DOPA.

• Authors: J E Kelsey, O Harris, J Cassin
• Journal: Behavioural brain research (Behav Brain Res) Vol. 203 Issue 2 Pg. 304-7 (Nov 05 2009) ISSN: 1872-7549 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 19414037 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Piperidines
• Pyrazoles
• Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
• Levodopa
• Oxidopamine
• Rimonabant

Topics

• Animals
• Corpus Striatum (physiopathology)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Hypokinesia (drug therapy)
• Levodopa (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Male
• Motor Activity
• Oxidopamine (toxicity)
• Parkinson Disease (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Piperidines (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Pyrazoles (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Long-Evans
• Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Rimonabant