DESGLYCINAMIDE(9)-LYSINE(8)-VASOPRESSIN AND PROLYL-LEUCYL-GLYCINAMIDE ON ORAL ETHANOL INTAKE IN THE RAT

Rats given ethanol in their drinking water at a concentration that permitted adequate fluid intake gradually accepted higher concentrations and consumed larger amounts of ethanol. These increases were augmented when daily subcutaneous injections of 1 μg of desglycinamide9-lysine8-vasopressin (DGLVP) or 10 μg of prolyl-leucyl-glycinamide (PLG) were given concomitantly. Nonsignificant changes in ethanol consumption were seen with injections of 1 μg PLG, or 0.42 or 42 μg of lysine8-vasopressin (LVP). In a second experiment 4 μg DGLVP given every second day as a long-acting zinc phophate complex, commencing after the increases in ethanol intake had taken place, failed to produce any change in ethanol consumption subsequently. In both Experiments 1 and 2, the rats were switched from forced ethanol intake to achoice between ethanol and tap water. On these tests there was only marginal evidence of peptide-produced changes in ethanol intake. © 1979.