Effects of intracerebroventricular administration of aliphatic diamines on ingestive behavior in the rat.

We examined the pharmacological effects of intracerebroventricularly administered aliphatic diamines on ingestive behavior in male rats adapted to a 4 hr per day feeding and drinking schedule. 1,2-Ethanediamine (ETD), 1,3-propanediamine (PRD), 1,4-butanediamine (putrescine, PUT), 1,5-pentanediamine (cadaverine, CAD) and 1,6-hexanediamine (HED) suppressed feeding and drinking behavior in a dose-dependent manner, but not unless a relatively high dose (over 80 micrograms) was given. The approximate anorectic potency was HED greater than CAD divided by PUT greater than ETD greater than PRD. A sedation was also produced in fairly good parallel to these alterations in feeding and drinking behavior. Thus, there appears to be a relationship between the length of the carbon chain and the potency of the pharmacological action, and these inhibitory effects on feeding and drinking behavior are probably not due to a specific action on the regulatory system for ingestive behavior, but rather to a nonspecific action.