Dendrosomal nanocurcumin prevents morphine self-administration behavior in rats despite CA1 damage

Abstract

Dendrosomal nanocurcumin (DNC) is fabricated from esterification of oleic acid and polyethylene glycol residues with curcumin. DNC has shown antioxidant, neuroprotective, and neurogenesis-enhancing effects. In addition, it can attenuate morphine tolerance. Morphine self-administration is associated with neurodegenerative changes of CA1 neurons in the adult hippocampus. The present study evaluated the effect of DNC pretreatment on morphine self-administration and hippocampal damage. Rats were pretreated with DNC (5 and 10 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) 30 min before a morphine self-administration paradigm performed in 2-h/sessions for 12 days under a FR-1 schedule. Pretreatment with both doses of DNC markedly suppressed morphine intake. Morphine self-administration resulted in a 71% reduction in the number of hippocampal CA1 neurons. DNC (5 mg/kg) pretreatment only marginally improved (by 22%) neuronal loss in this area. The data suggest that the effect of DNC on morphine self-administration is largely independent of the CA1 area. A functional restoration and regulation of reward circuit activity by DNC may reduce the motivation for morphine despite CA1 damage.