Effects of cocaine and ethylcocaine on schedule-controlled responding in rats.

The effects of cocaine and benzoylecognine ethyl ester (ethylcocaine), its metabolite found only in simultaneous users of cocaine and ethanol, were studied in rats responding for food under a multiple fixed-ratio fixed-interval schedule of food presentation. Both cocaine and ethylcocaine increased rates of responding under the fixed-interval component and decreased the quarter life. Both drugs only decreased rates of responding under the fixed-ratio component. Cocaine was approximately equipotent to ethylcocaine. Ethylcocaine may contribute to interactions between cocaine and ethanol by exerting cocaine-like effects not seen with other cocaine metabolites.