INTRAPERITONEAL ADMINSTRATION OF Baclofen Fails to Reduce Intake of Fat Emulsions Lacking Starch in Rats
Open Access
- Author:
- Wilt, Danielle C.
- Area of Honors:
- Nutritional Sciences
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Rebecca L Corwin, Thesis Supervisor
Rebecca L Corwin, Thesis Supervisor
Rebecca L Corwin, Thesis Honors Advisor
Gary J Fosmire, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- Baclofen
fat
starch - Abstract:
- The GABA(B) agonist baclofen generally reduces intake of high-fat diets and stimulates or has no effect on the intake of other foods. The present study tested the effects of baclofen on intake of emulsions containing fat at concentrations found in foods commonly consumed by humans. Non-food deprived Sprague-Dawley rats were given 1-hour access five days a week to corn oil or vegetable shortening emulsions of 1%, 3.2%, 10%, and 32% fat concentration. Emulsions were either liquid, or were thickened with Ticalose CMC 6000 (Tic), which contains no starch. Effect of baclofen on intake of 100% vegetable shortening was also determined in order to assess drug efficacy. Baclofen (0.6, 1.0, 1.8 mg/kg) or its vehicle (saline) was administered intraperitoneally and its effects on intake of fat emulsions and 100% vegetable shortening determined. Results indicated that baclofen had no effect on the intake of most of the fat emulsions. However, baclofen stimulated intake of the 3.2% corn oil emulsion with 0% Tic (a liquid emulsion) and 10% vegetable shortening with 2% Tic (a solid emulsion) at the 1.0 mg/kg and 1.8 mg/kg doses, respectively. Baclofen decreased intake of 100% vegetable shortening. No consistent findings related to concentration of fat or consistency of emulsions emerged. Previous research from this laboratory had shown that baclofen reduced intake of a 32% vegetable shortening emulsion thickened with a starch-containing Tic product (Rao et al., 2008). In contrast, the thickeners used in the present study lacked starch, which may account for the different results. These findings suggest that the ability of baclofen to reduce the intake of fatty food may depend upon the fat concentration, as well as other components of the food that contribute to its palatability.