EFFECTS OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA DUNAL (INDIAN GINSENG) ON THE MOTIVATIONAL PROPERTIES OF ETHANOL: PLACE CONDITIONING AND SELF-ADMINISTRATION STUDIES

Recent evidence has shown that Withania somnifera Dunal, a herbal remedy used for its anti-inflammatory properties, reduces ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety, potentiates ethanol-induced anxiolysis and impairs morphine-elicited place conditioning. Based on these premises, this study investigated the effects of Withania somnifera roots extract (WSE) on ethanol-elicited place conditioning and on motivation for drinking ethanol by self-administration. To this end, in place conditioning experiments male CD-1 mice underwent backward (conditioned place preference, CPP) and forward (conditioned place aversion, CPA) conditioning and the effects of WSE (50 and 100 mg/kg) were evaluated on acquisition and expression of CPP and CPA. In self-administration experiments male Wistar rats were trained to self-administer ethanol (10%) by nosepoking and the effects of WSE (25 and 75 mg/kg) were evaluated on acquisition and maintenance of ethanol self-administration, on ethanol breakpoint under a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement, on ethanol deprivation effect and on reinstatement of seeking behaviours. The results confirm 1) that ethanol is able to elicit both CPP and CPA; 2) that WSE significantly impairs both the acquisition and the expression of CPP and CPA; 3) that WSE reduces acquisition, maintenance and breakpoint of ethanol self-administration as well as the deprivation effect and reinstatement of ethanol-seeking behaviour. Further studies are necessary to investigate in detail the mechanism(s) by which WSE interferes with the motivational properties of ethanol and affects ethanol taking behaviour; however, these results support the suggestion that WSE could represent an interesting phytotherapeutic approach for the treatment of excessive alcohol drinking and to prevent alcohol relapse.