Medication of/-tetrahydropalmatine significantly ameliorates opiate craving and increases the abstinence rate in heroin users： a pilot study  

作　　者：Zheng YANG Yong-cong SHAO Shi-jiang LI Jian-lin QI Mei-jie ZHANG Wei HAO Guo-zhang JIN 

机构地区：[1]Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Science, Beijing 100005, China [2]Department of Aerospace Psychology, the Forth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710003, China [3]Departments of Biophysics [4]Departments of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconcin, USA [5]Mental Health Institute of Xiangya Medical School, Changsha 410078, China [6]Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai 201203, China

出　　处：《Acta Pharmacologica Sinica》2008年第7期781-788,共8页中国药理学报（英文版）

摘　　要：Aim： Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease with constant relapse requiring long-term treatment. New pharmacological strategies focus on the development of an effective antirelapse drug. This study examines the effects of levotetrahydropalmatine （l-THP） on reducing heroin craving and increasing the abstinence rate among heroin-dependent patients. Methods： In total, 120 heroin-dependent patients participated in the randomized, double-blinded, and placebocontrolled study using l-THP treatment. The participants remained in a ward during a 4-week period of l-THP treatment, followed by 4 weeks of observation after treatment. The patients were followed for 3 months after discharge. Outcome measures are the measured severity of the protracted abstinence withdrawal syndrome （PAWS） and the abstinence rate. Results： Four weeks of l-THP treatment significantly ameliorated the severity of PAWS, specifically, somatic syndrome, mood states, insomnia, and drug craving, in comparison to the placebo group. Based on the 3 month follow-up observation, participants who survived the initial 2 weeks of l-THP medication and remained in the trial program had a significantly higher abstinence rate of 47.8% （95% confidence interval [CI]： 33%-67%） than the 15.2% in the placebo group （95% CI： 7%-25%）, according to a logrank test （P〈0.0005）. Conclusion：l-THP significantly ameliorated PAWS, especially reducing drug craving. Furthermore, it increased the abstinence rate among heroin users. These results support the potential use of l-THP for the treatment of heroin addiction.Aim： Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease with constant relapse requiring long-term treatment. New pharmacological strategies focus on the development of an effective antirelapse drug. This study examines the effects of levotetrahydropalmatine （l-THP） on reducing heroin craving and increasing the abstinence rate among heroin-dependent patients. Methods： In total, 120 heroin-dependent patients participated in the randomized, double-blinded, and placebocontrolled study using l-THP treatment. The participants remained in a ward during a 4-week period of l-THP treatment, followed by 4 weeks of observation after treatment. The patients were followed for 3 months after discharge. Outcome measures are the measured severity of the protracted abstinence withdrawal syndrome （PAWS） and the abstinence rate. Results： Four weeks of l-THP treatment significantly ameliorated the severity of PAWS, specifically, somatic syndrome, mood states, insomnia, and drug craving, in comparison to the placebo group. Based on the 3 month follow-up observation, participants who survived the initial 2 weeks of l-THP medication and remained in the trial program had a significantly higher abstinence rate of 47.8% （95% confidence interval [CI]： 33%-67%） than the 15.2% in the placebo group （95% CI： 7%-25%）, according to a logrank test （P〈0.0005）. Conclusion：l-THP significantly ameliorated PAWS, especially reducing drug craving. Furthermore, it increased the abstinence rate among heroin users. These results support the potential use of l-THP for the treatment of heroin addiction.

关 键 词：heroin addiction levo-tetrahydropalmatine abstinence rate RELAPSE 

分 类 号：R749.6[医药卫生—神经病学与精神病学]