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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Effects of Clozapine on Ethanol Withdrawal Syndrome in Rats
Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on June 25, 2008



Co-morbid substance use in schizophrenic patients is common, and an important factor affects the outcome of disease. On the other hand, drug dependence is a predictive factor for psychosis. Alcohol is one of the most frequently abused psychoactive substances and may contribute psychotic symptoms in several conditions, such as withdrawal syndrome.

The present study was designed to investigate the effects of clozapine on ethanol withdrawal syndrome (EWS) in rats.

Clozapine significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the EWS-induced locomotor hyperactivity, wet dog shake, stereotyped behaviour, tremor and tail stiffness. However, it did not produce any significant effect on agitation and audiogenic seizures. Doses of clozapine used in the present study did not produce any significant change on locomotor activities of naïve rats.

Our results suggest that clozapine had some significant beneficial effects on EWS in rats. Thus, this drug may be helpful for controlling some withdrawal signs in ethanol-dependent patients.


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