Effect of saikosaponin A, one of the main bioactive triterpenoids of Bupleurum falcatum , on alcohol binge-like drinking in rodents

Background: Previous work demonstrated that administration of saikosaponin A (SSA), one of the major components of the roots of Bupleurum falcatum, reduced oral alcohol self-administration, a validated measure of the reinforcing and motivational properties of alcohol, in Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats.Objectives: To evaluate whether SSA ability to reduce the reinforcing and motivational properties of alcohol extends to well-established binge-like drinking paradigms, characterized by intoxicating drinking patterns, in sP rats and C57BL/6J mice.Methods: Male sP rats (n = 48) were exposed to the 4-bottle 10%, 20%, and 30% (v/v) alcohol vs water choice regimen, with limited and unpredictable time to access to alcohol. Male C57BL/6J mice (n = 56) were subjected to a single-bottle, 20% alcohol "drinking in the dark" protocol, initiated 3 hours into the dark phase. In both experiments, SSA (0, 1, 2, or 4 mg/kg) was administered acutely and intraperitoneally 15 min before the start of the drinking session. SSA was also tested on spontaneous locomotor activity in alcohol-naive sP rats (n = 48) and C57BL/6J mice (n = 39).Results: Alcohol binge-like drinking was prevented by administration of 2 and 4 mg/kg SSA in sP rats (p p p p p > .05).Conclusion: Overall, our findings support the potential of SSA as a treatment for binge alcohol drinking.