levo-Alpha-acetylmethadol and metabolites: some effects on schedule-controlled behavior in the rat

The behavioral effects of acute IP administration of 1-alpha-acetylmethadol, its metabolites, 1-alpha-noracetylmethadol and 1-alpha-dinoracetylmethadol, and morphine were studied in the rat using behavior controlled by a fixed-interval schedule of food reinforcement. Administraiton of all compounds produced a dose-related decrease in response rate. The metabolites were approximately three to four times the potency of the parent compound which was approximately five times the potency of morphine. Data obtained from cumulative response records suggested that the onset of effects for the metabolites was more rapid than for the parent compound.