%A Lorrai,Irene %A Piga,Valentina %A Carai,Mauro A. M. %A Riva,Antonella %A Morazzoni,Paolo %A Gessa,Gian Luigi %A Colombo,Giancarlo %A Maccioni,Paola %D 2016 %J Frontiers in Pharmacology %C %F %G English %K Phaseolus vulgaris dry extract (Beanblock®),Chocolate-flavored beverage,Reinstatement of seeking behavior,Rats,Relapse-like behavior %Q %R 10.3389/fphar.2016.00109 %W %L %M %P %7 %8 2016-April-26 %9 Original Research %+ Dr Giancarlo Colombo,Neuroscience Institute, National Research Council of Italy, Section of Cagliari,Cagliari, Italy,colomb@unica.it %# %! Phaseolus vulgaris and reinstatement of chocolate-seeking behaviors in rats %* %< %T A Phaseolus vulgaris Extract Reduces Cue-Induced Reinstatement of Chocolate Seeking in Rats %U https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2016.00109 %V 7 %0 JOURNAL ARTICLE %@ 1663-9812 %X Previous evidence has suggested that treatment with a standardized dry extract of Phaseolus vulgaris reduced intake and operant self-administration of highly palatable foods and fluids in rats and mice. The present study was designed to assess whether such extract was also effective in reducing seeking behavior for a highly hedonic chocolate-flavored beverage, using a “reinstatement” procedure adopted from the drug addiction research field and modeling relapse behavior. Rats were initially trained to lever-respond for the chocolate-flavored beverage under the Fixed Ratio (FR) 10 schedule of reinforcement. Subsequently, rats were exposed to an extinction responding phase, during which lever-responding – being unreinforced – diminished progressively up to extinction. Lever-responding was then powerfully reinstated by the non-contingent presentation of a complex of gustatory, olfactory, auditory, and visual stimuli previously associated to the availability of the chocolate-flavored beverage. Acute, intragastric administration of P. vulgaris dry extract (100 and 500 mg/kg) reduced lever-responding by 40–45%, in comparison to vehicle condition. These results indicate the ability of P. vulgaris dry extract to reduce seeking behavior for a highly palatable nourishment in an experimental model of relapse into disordered eating of palatable foods. The unavailability of the chocolate-flavored beverage in the reinstatement session tends to exclude that the observed effect of the P. vulgaris dry extract was secondary to any inhibition of carbohydrate metabolism; conversely, it is the likely consequence on a central action on the rewarding and hedonic properties of food.