Effects of the phenethylamine derivatives, BL-3912, fenfluramine, and Sch-12679, in rats trained with LSD as a discriminative stimulus

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1980;68(2):159-62. doi: 10.1007/BF00432134.

Abstract

Six rats were trained to discriminate the effects of LSD (100 micrograms/kg) and saline in a two-lever choice task. They were then tested with each of three phenethylamine derivatives, BL-3912 (2,5-dimethoxy-4-methyl-alpha-ethyl-phenethylamine), fenfluramine (N-ethyl-alpha-methyl-m-(trifluoro-methyl)phenethylamine), and Sch-12679 (N-methyl-1-phenyl-7,8-dimethoxy-2,3,4,5-tetra-hydro-3-benzazepine maleate). Fenfluramine and Sch-12679 yielded intermediate results, i.e., responding was not fully appropriate for either training condition while BL-3912 substituted completely for LSD. The LSD-like effects of each of the drugs were antagonized by pretreatment with BC-105, a serotonergic antagonist known to block the stimulus effects of indole and phenethylamine hallucinogens. The present data together with consideration of the known clinical effects of BL-3912, fenfluramine, and Sch-12679 are consistent with the following conclusions: (1) a variety of drugs may substitute in whole or in part for LSD in LSD-trained rats, and (2) even complete substitution of a drug for LSD in the rat is not necessarily associated with the production by that drug of hallucinations in man.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine* / analogs & derivatives*
  • Animals
  • Benzazepines / pharmacology
  • DOM 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Methylamphetamine / analogs & derivatives
  • DOM 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Methylamphetamine / pharmacology
  • Fenfluramine / pharmacology
  • Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / pharmacology*
  • Phenethylamines / pharmacology*
  • Prejudice / drug effects*
  • Rats

Substances

  • Benzazepines
  • Phenethylamines
  • dimoxamine
  • DOM 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-Methylamphetamine
  • Fenfluramine
  • 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine
  • trimopam
  • Lysergic Acid Diethylamide