Passive immunization against nicotine attenuates somatic nicotine withdrawal syndrome in the rat.

Introduction: Nicotine immunization is under consideration as an intervention for smoking cessation. Therefore, it was of interest to evaluate the effects of nicotine antibodies on the withdrawal syndrome following termination of chronic nicotine administration.

Methods: Experiment 1 determined whether passive immunization following continuous nicotine infusion would alter the intensity of nicotine withdrawal syndrome in the rat.

Passive immunization against nicotine attenuates nicotine discrimination.

Ten rats were trained in a two lever operant chamber to press different levers after a nicotine injection (0.14 mg/kg s.c.