Acute pharmacological activity of intravenous cocaine in the rhesus monkey

Abstract

The effects of the intravenous administration of cocaine (0.05-5.0 mg/kg) on body temperature, heart rate, respiration rate and several unconditioned behavioral categories were ascertained in unanesthetized male rhesus monkeys. Statistically significant increases in body temperature, respiration rate and heart rate occurred only after the largest dosage tested. Subjective increases in pupil size, activity, reactivity and vocalization as well as the occurrence of stereotyped behaviors, mydriasis and refusal to ingest fruit, were observed following injection with 0.2, 0.5 mg/kg and 5.0 mg/kg. A large degree of consistent intersubject variability in the magnitude of these responses was present. There was no consistent correlation across subjects between the magnitude of these responses and the plasma level of cocaine. However, within a given subject a direct correlation existed between these parameters.