The anti-nausea effects of CB1 agonists are mediated by an action at the visceral insular cortex

Br J Pharmacol. 2012 Nov;167(5):1126-36. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.02066.x.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Conditioned gaping reactions reflect nausea-induced behaviour in rats. Cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB(1) ) agonists interfere with the establishment of nausea-induced conditioned gaping; however, it is not known if their effects are mediated by an action at peripheral or central CB(1) receptors.

Experimental approach: We utilized the conditioned gaping model of nausea to evaluate the effect of peripheral and central administration of the peripherally restricted CB(1) agonist, CB13, on the establishment of LiCl-induced gaping in rats. We further evaluated the ability of HU-210 administered to the gustatory insular cortex (GIC) or visceral insular cortex (VIC) to interfere with LiCl-induced conditioned gaping and determined if this effect was mediated by CB(1) receptors.

Key results: Central, but not peripheral, CB13 suppressed LiCl-induced conditioned gaping. Central administration of the potent CB(1) agonist, HU-210, delivered to the VIC, but not the GIC, suppressed the establishment of LiCl-induced gaping reactions, but not LiCl-induced suppression of hedonic reactions or conditioned taste avoidance. This pattern of results suggests that HU-210 delivered to the VIC prevented LiCl-induced nausea, but not learning per se. The suppression of LiCl-induced conditioned gaping by HU-210 was mediated by CB(1) receptors because it was prevented by co-administration of CB(1) antagonist/inverse agonist, AM-251, into the VIC. A high dose of AM-251 (20 µg) administered alone into the VIC did not produce conditioned gaping reactions.

Conclusions and implications: The nausea-relieving effects of CB(1) agonists, but not the nausea-inducing effects of CB(1) inverse agonists, are mediated, at least in part, by their action at the VIC in rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiemetics / pharmacology*
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
  • Dronabinol / analogs & derivatives
  • Dronabinol / pharmacology
  • Lithium Chloride
  • Male
  • Naphthalenes / pharmacology
  • Nausea / drug therapy*
  • Nausea / physiopathology
  • Piperidines / pharmacology
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 / agonists

Substances

  • Antiemetics
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists
  • Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists
  • Naphthalenes
  • Piperidines
  • Pyrazoles
  • Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1
  • AM 251
  • Dronabinol
  • naphthalen-1-yl-(4-pentyloxynaphthalen-1-yl)methanone
  • Lithium Chloride
  • HU 211