Chapter title |
Addiction and the potential for therapeutic drug development.
|
---|---|
Chapter number | 36 |
Book title |
Toward a Molecular Basis of Alcohol Use and Abuse
|
Published in |
EXS, January 1994
|
DOI | 10.1007/978-3-0348-7330-7_36 |
Pubmed ID | |
Book ISBNs |
978-3-03-487332-1, 978-3-03-487330-7
|
Authors |
Janssen, P A, Paul A. J. Janssen, Janssen, Paul A. J. |
Abstract |
Therapeutic drug development in alcoholism could be targeted at any of the following: direct antagonism, substitution, treatment of abstinence, enhancement of aversion, modification of biodisposition, or craving. Ritanserin is a potent, centrally acting, highly selective 5-HT1C/2 antagonist which, in addition to having a sleep-regulating and anti-depression/anti-axiety effect, displays a unique pharmacological action in several animal paradigms of substance abuse which assess drug-craving. In fact, the latter pharmacological action was demonstrated after initial clinical observations suggested an effect of ritanserin in the chronic withdrawal phase after detoxification from alcohol in patients. The results of a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled, trial indicated that ritanserin did not induce aversion to drink alcohol in normal volunteers who display social drinking, but are not suffering alcohol dependence. Currently, a full clinical development program of ritanserin in cocaine and alcohol abuse is ongoing. Three major double-blind, placebo-controlled trials in alcohol dependent patients are in progress. Patients of different severity levels, ranging from mild to very severe, are studied. The dosages of ritanserin tested (2.5 mg, 5 mg, and 10 mg o.d.) are known to be well tolerated and safe. Two trials aim for relapse prevention--clinically defined in one, biochemically defined in the other-, and one trial has improved (reduced) drinking behaviour as a therapeutic goal. This program, which involves close to 900 alcohol-dependent patients, is well under way, and is still picking up momentum. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 30 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 6 | 20% |
Student > Master | 3 | 10% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 2 | 7% |
Student > Bachelor | 2 | 7% |
Professor | 2 | 7% |
Other | 7 | 23% |
Unknown | 8 | 27% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 9 | 30% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 7 | 23% |
Unspecified | 1 | 3% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 1 | 3% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 1 | 3% |
Other | 2 | 7% |
Unknown | 9 | 30% |