Possible Interaction: Cocaine and Nepicastat

“BACKGROUND Recent experimental data indicate that treatment with the selective dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibitor, nepicastat , suppressed different reward-related behaviors, including self-administration of chocolate and reinstatement of cocaine and chocolate seeking, in rats.”

“Combined, these results indicate that nepicastat can reduce the reinforcing properties of cocaine under a stringent schedule and can attenuate relapse-like behavior produced by cocaine, formerly cocaine-paired cues, and physiological and pharmacological stressors.”

“Next, we assessed the ability of nepicastat (50 mg/kg) to reduce breakpoint responding for cocaine on a progressive ratio schedule and reinstatement induced by drug-associated cues and stress.”

“We found that nepicastat significantly lowered the breakpoint for cocaine , but not for regular chow or sucrose, and attenuated cue-, footshock-, and yohimbine-induced reinstatement.”