Caffeine (CAF) is the most consumed psychostimulant worldwide, and it is frequently associated with the consumption of several other drugs, including alcohol. This study was designed to evaluate the pattern of ethanol consumption and the propensity to show an alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) in rats exposed to voluntary intake of caffeinated alcoholic solutions.
Methods:
Male Wistar rats were given unlimited access to a two-bottle choice procedure. Rats were divided into two groups: control and CAF and submitted to a free-choice water versus 0.1% (w/v) saccharin (SAC) solution prepared with or without 1 g/L of CAF. Subsequently, control and CAF groups were subdivided into four groups: EtOH, EtOH+SAC, EtOH+CAF, and EtOH+SAC+CAF (n=7–8), and allowed to drink alcoholic solutions of increasing concentrations (3%, 6%, and 10%) for 50 days. ADE was assessed after an abstinence period of 7 days.
Results:
Both control and CAF groups preferred to drink and drank more SAC solution than regular tap water. There was no significant difference in alcohol consumption between the groups exposed to sweetened alcoholic solutions with or without CAF, and these groups drank significantly more alcohol compared to other groups. Only the EtOH+saccharin group showed a significant ADE.
Conclusions:
These results show that the presence of CAF in alcoholic solutions did not increase alcohol consumption, but prevented the ADE in rats.
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