Nicotinic Receptor Ligands Pharmacology

(−)-Nicotine hydrogen tartrate salt was obtained from Sigma Chemical (St. Louis, MO). Varenicline dihydrochloride was obtained from the National Institute on Drug Abuse drug supply program (Rockville, MD). Mecamylamine was obtained from Waterstone Technology (Camel, IN). The epibatidine derivatives 2′-Fluorodeschloroepibatidine (RTI-7527-36), 3′-(3″-dimethylaminophenyl) epibatidine (RTI-7527-76), and 2′-fluoro-3′-(4-nitrophenyl) deschloroepibatidine (RTI-7527-102) were synthesized at the Center for Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Research Triangle Institute (Research Triangle Park, NC) as previously described [16 (link)–18 (link)]. Dihydro-β-erythroidine hydrobromide was obtained from Tocris (Minneapolis, MN). Drugs were dissolved in 0.9% physiological saline and administered s.c. (except mecamylamine which was administered intraperitoneally) in a volume of 10 mL/kg. The dose of nicotine is expressed as the weight of the free base. Other drug doses are expressed as the weight of the base plus the salt.