The effect of mixed tobacco monoamine oxidase inhibitors in animal models relevant to tobacco dependence

Tobacco monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors have long been suspected of influencing tobacco dependence, but direct evidence of their effects has been difficult to obtain. Recently we have identified two new groups of monoamine oxidase inhibitors, hydroquinones and polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic and linolenic acid), abundant in tobacco smoke.

To test, in relevant animal models, whether the combined effect of these inhibitors is sufficient to affect addictive responses to nicotine.

Here we report the first tests of the effects of mixed tobacco MAO inhibitors in three animal behavioural tests relevant to nicotine addiction, conditioned place preference, locomotor sensitisation and nicotine self-administration. Inhibitors used were the aforementioned linoleic and linolenic acid, and catechol, 4-ethylcatechol, 4-methyl catechol and hydroquinone, together with the already known inhibitors harman and norharman. They were administered together in the ratios found in tobacco smoke.

In conditioned place preference and in self-administration tests the addition of these tobacco MAO inhibitors significantly increased responding to nicotine and motivation to self-administer nicotine, supporting the hypothesis that inhibition of MAO enzymes in the brain enhances addictive responses such as that for nicotine. The combined MAO inhibitors without nicotine did not cause increased locomotor activity and did not induce a place conditioned response.

Our results show that the combined effect of three groups of major MAO inhibitors present in tobacco smoke can enhance the addictive responses to nicotine in rats. There is no evidence from this study that these MAO inhibitors are addictive in themselves.