Discriminative stimulus effects of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and delta 9-11-tetrahydrocannabinol in rats and rhesus monkeys.

J L Wiley, R L Barrett, D T Britt, R L Balster, B R Martin

Index: Neuropharmacology 32(4) , 359-65, (1993)

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Abstract

Previous reports have suggested that delta 9-11-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-11-THC), an exocyclic analog of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC), may have weak agonist effects as well as antagonistic properties. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of delta 9-11-THC in substitution and antagonism tests in rats and in rhesus monkeys trained to discriminate delta 9-THC from vehicle in two-lever drug-discrimination procedures. The substitution studies showed that delta 9-11-THC generalizes from the training dose of delta 9-THC in rats and in monkeys, although it was less potent in both species. The magnitude of the potency difference was greater in monkeys than in rats. When administered immediately following injection with the training dose of delta 9-THC, delta 9-11-THC failed to block the delta 9-THC cue in rats and showed a lack of dose-responsive inhibition in monkeys. These results suggest that delta 9-11-THC is devoid of antagonistic properties in the drug discrimination paradigm.