Self-administration of diamorphine in male Lister Hooded rats

OBN & University of Reading Pain Research and Therapeutics Conference 2024 -- Drug abuse liability assessment is required for drugs (parent or major metabolite) that penetrate the brain, regardless of the therapeutic indication. Self-administration is one of the nonclinical abuse liability assessment study types required by regulatory agencies and is typically performed using cocaine-trained animals. However, there are situations when an alternative training drug is required, for example an opioid. At Labcorp Harrogate, opioid self-administration was characterised using diamorphine (heroin) in the Lister Hooded rat.