RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Agomelatine (S-20098), an analog of melatonin, has shown promise as a chronobiotic in animal models of sleep phase disorders and is being developed for clinical use. Previous research has shown that the pharmacological profile of melatonin-like drugs overlaps that of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) agonists. Given the potential of drugs within the latter class for recreational abuse in humans, evaluation of this potential for melatonin analogs that target similar therapeutic indications is important. In the present study, agomelatine was tested in animal models of the subjective and reinforcing effects of CNS depressant drugs; i.e., diazepam discrimination in rats and IV methohexital self-administration in rhesus monkeys, respectively. Neither agomelatine nor melatonin substituted for diazepam in rats trained to discriminate 2.5 mg/kg diazepam from vehicle. Further, agomelatine was not self-administered by rhesus monkeys. These results suggest that agomelatine would not produce diazepam-like intoxication in humans, nor would it likely be subject to abuse