Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Nimodipine

“Thus, dihydropyridine (DHP) VOCC antagonists, such as nimodipine , reduce ethanol (EtOH) intake and preference in a variety of animal models of alcoholism.”

“Cytotoxicity of 200 mM EtOH and osmotic stress (450 mosmol/L) was significantly reduced with nimodipine pretreatment, while nimodipine has no influence on the hypoxia-induced cytotoxicity in PC12 cells.”

“This shows that specific drug treatments, such as nimodipine , given over the acute withdrawal phase, can prevented the neuronal changes responsible for subsequent adverse effects of long term consumption of alcohol.”

“A small concentration of ethanol (1.8×10−2 M) had a positive chronotropic effect on the SN, and this action was blocked by nimodipine 10−10 M. This small concentration of ethanol did not modify the chronotropic effects of either of the DHPs.”

“Administration of nimodipine , 10 mg/kg, with the ethanol , completely prevented the deleterious effects on memory in this task, but had no effects on the performance when given in the absence of ethanol.”

“ Nimodipine , 10 mg/kg, given with the ethanol , completely prevented this effect, but nimodipine alone had no effects.”

“ Nimodipine , however, decreased the tolerance to the hypothermic actions of ethanol , when the ethanol was given by injection.”

“The dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonist, nimodipine , was found to decrease the extent of tolerance that developed to the ataxic action of ethanol in experimental designs in which the tolerance was not context-specific, when ethanol was given by liquid diet.”

“When nimodipine was given before the motor task learning and ethanol after the practice sessions, the tolerance to the ataxic effect of ethanol was increased.”

“At 10 mg/kg, nimodipine decreased the break point, and number of reinforcers obtained, for ethanol concentrations of 5, 10 and 15%.”

“The results suggest that nimodipine , at the lower dose tested, decreased the reinforcing properties of low concentrations of ethanol.”

“A variety of L-type Ca2+ channel antagonists, including the dihydropyridine derivative nimodipine , have been shown to be effective in reducing ethanol intake and preference in animal models of alcoholism.”

“Contrary to the drug discrimination results, these latter findings suggest that there may be similarities between the stimulus properties of nimodipine and ethanol.”

“ Nimodipine (10 micrograms/kg) also blocked the swift increase in alcohol metabolism and elevated oxygen consumption in perfused livers from rats treated with alcohol in vivo.”

“3 Two other dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, nimodipine and PN 200–110, given chronically with ethanol , also prevented the withdrawal syndrome.”