Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behavior, Vol. 12, pp. 803-806. Printed in the U.S.A. The Effects of Several Barbiturates on Lithium Chloride Induced Taste Aversion E. A. WAYNER 3 AND G. SINGER Department of Psychology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia AND M. J. WAYNER AND F. C. BARONE Brain Research Laboratory, Syracuse University, 601 University Avenue Syracuse, NY 13210 Received 3 September 1979 WAYNER, E. A., G. SINGER, M. J. WAYNER AND F. C. BARONE. The effects of several barbiturates on lithium chloride induced taste aversion. PHARMAC. BIOCHEM. BEHAV. 12(5) 803-806, 1980.--The effects of single doses of five barbiturates on LiC1 induced saccharin aversion were examined. Twenty three hour fluid deprived rats were offered a novel 0.125% saccharin solution and then were injected with either 3.0 mEq/kg LiCI or 0.9% saline. On the first test day after conditioning the animals were injected with either 60 mg/kg sodium phenobarbital, 80 mg/kg sodium barbital, 30 mg/kg sodium amobarbital, 20 mg/kg sodium secobarbital, 9 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital or 0.9% saline, 15 min prior to the drinking session. Results indicate that only 9 mg/kg pentobarbital, 60 mg/kg phenobarbital, and 80 mg/kg barbital were effective in attenuating the LiCI induced saccharin aversion on the day of administration. In addition, dipsogenic effects for only 60 rng/kg phenobarbital and 30 mg/kg amobarbital were observed in the saline treated control groups. A synergistic interaction between the effects of LiC1 and sodium phenobarbital, barbital, and secobarbital was also observed. Lithium chloride plus these barbiturates resulted in a longer term aversion to saccharin than LiCI alone and no barbiturate produced saccharin aversion when administered without LiCI. LiC1 induced saccharin aversion Taste aversion Barbiturates Sodium amobarbital Sodium pentobarbital Sodium phenobarbital Sodium secobarbital Sodium barbital ANIMALS administered a toxic agent, such as LiC1, follow- ing a novel taste experience will subsequently avoid that stimulus. This phenomenon is well established and has been referred to as bait shyness or learned taste aversion [3]. In general, a wide variety of agents have been used to induce aversions to many different flavored substances [10]. Hypnotic drugs, in particular the barbiturates, are among some of the substances that have been used to induce con- ditioned taste aversions [ 13]. In addition to being effective in inducing taste aversion, the barbiturates are also well known dipsogenic agents and induce copious consumption of water [8,11]. Some barbiturates, such as phenobarbital, have also been shown to increase the consumption of aversive or non- preferred solutions such as saline [2], ethanol [4], and citric acid [14] as well as a preferred saccharin solution [14]. Seco- barbital and pentobarbital have also been reported to be strong dipsogens [11,12] while the dipsogenic effect of amobarbital is questionable [8,11]. It has recently been reported that the administration of some barbiturates 15 rain prior to testing can significantly attenuate LiC1 induced saccharin aversion [5,6]. In these ex- periments 60 mg/kg sodium phenobarbital, 30 mg/kg sodium amobarbital, and 15 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital significantly reduced the magnitude of a LiCl induced saccharin aversion when administered on the first day after conditioning. The effect was not associated with a general increase in fluid intake induced by the barbiturates. Other barbiturates such as barbital and hexobarbital did not attenuate the saccharin aversion. In addition, phenobarbital and amobarbital admin- istration resulted in a decrease in saccharin consump- tion which was greater than that observed for LiC1 admin- istration on subsequent test days. The effect was attrib- uted to either a barbiturate induced saccharin aversion or a synergistic interaction of the barbiturates with the effects of 3.0 mEq/kg LiC1 pretreatment. However, the fact that post-barbiturate saccharin consumption in saline pretreated 1Reprint requests to George Singer, Department of Psychology, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia. 2Sodium phenobarbital and sodium barbital were generously supplied by Eli Lilly and Co., Sydney, Australia. aE. A. Wayner's present address: Cancer Research Campaign Laboratories, University Park, Nottingham, England, NG7 2RD. Copyright © 1980 ANKHO International Inc.--0091-3057/80/050803-04500.90/0