Relationship between the discriminative stimulus effects and plasma concentrations of intramuscular cocaine in rhesus monkeys

Abstract

The relationship between the discriminative stimulus effects and plasma pharmacokinetics of cocaine was evaluated in six rhesus monkeys trained to discriminate cocaine (0.4 mg/kg, IM) from saline under a FR30 schedule of food presentation. The same monkeys were tested in two procedures. In a cumulative dosing procedure, five cumulative doses of cocaine (0.013-1.3 mg/kg) were administered and discriminative stimulus effects were evaluated 10 min after the administration of each dose. Cocaine plasma concentrations were measured in separate sessions using the same doses and interdose intervals. In a single dosing procedure, the time-courses of the discriminative stimulus effects and plasma concentrations of cocaine were assessed after the administration of cocaine (0.4 mg/kg). A close correspondence between cocaine's discriminative stimulus effects and plasma concentrations was obtained in both procedures. Cocaine was virtually undetectable in plasma at doses that produced saline-appropriate responding (0.013 and 0.04 mg/kg), whereas increasing plasma concentrations were measured at doses that produced primarily cocaine-appropriate responding (0.13 mg/kg or higher). The time-course of the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine was characterized by a rapid onset (within 1-3 min post-cocaine) and offset (within 20-60 min post-cocaine). Peak plasma levels were obtained at 10 min post-cocaine. No differences in plasma concentrations were found 10 min after the administration of a cumulative versus a single dose of cocaine 0.4 mg/kg (mean, 75.8 and 74.0 ng/ml, respectively). Cocaine plasma concentrations lasted longer than its discriminative stimulus effects. The results of the present study confirm that the cumulative dosing procedure used yields plasma concentrations of cocaine that are similar to the concentrations obtained after single cocaine dosing.