Cyclic AMP (cAMP) regulates a number of cellular processes and modulates cell death induction. cAMP levels are altered upon stimulation of specific G-protein-coupled receptors inhibiting or activating adenylyl cyclases. Opioid receptor stimulation can activate inhibitory Gi-proteins which in turn block adenylyl cyclase activity reducing cAMP. Opioids such as D,L-methadone induce cell death in l...

BACKGROUND Methadone is the therapeutic agent of choice for the treatment of opiate addiction in pregnancy. The co-consumption (heroin, cocaine) which may influence the effects of methadone is frequent. Therefore, the impact of cocaine and heroin on the placental transfer of methadone and the placental tissue was investigated under in vitro conditions. METHODS Placentae (n = 24) were ex-vivo ...

The aim of this study was to switch patients established on methadone opioid substitution therapy (OST) to morphine over 1 week. Subjects established on daily methadone OST (mean dose 60 mg/day) were switched to morphine slow-release capsules, dosed at 4× the previous total daily methadone dose, for 6 days, then given morphine syrup dosed q3h. All 27 subjects enrolled in this study completed th...

OBJECTIVE Methadone coverage is poor in many countries due in part to methadone induction being possible only in specialized care (SC). This multicenter pragmatic trial compared the effectiveness of methadone treatment between two induction models: primary care (PC) and SC. METHODS In this study, registered at ClinicalTrials.Gov (NCT00657397), opioid-dependent individuals not on methadone tre...

Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) is among the most widely studied treatments for opiate dependence with proven benefits for patients and society. When misused, however, methadone can also be lethal. The issue of methadone diversion is a major concern for all MMT programs. A potential source for such diversion is from those MMT patients who receive daily take home methadone doses. Using a r...

OBJECTIVES Methadone is the most frequently prescribed medication for the treatment of opioid dependence in the U.S., and questions relating to appropriate dosing of methadone remain an important issue. Given accumulating evidence suggesting an elevated prevalence of personality pathology in opioid dependent populations, as well as evidence of an association between Cluster B characteristics an...

Methadone is a synthetic opioid with potent analgesic effects. Although it is associated commonly with the treatment of opioid addiction, it may be prescribed by licensed family physicians for analgesia. Methadone's unique pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics make it a valuable option in the management of cancer pain and other chronic pain, including neuropathic pain states. It may be an appro...

BACKGROUND In France, the rapid scale-up of buprenorphine, an opioid maintenance treatment (OMT), in primary care for drug users has led to an impressive reduction in HIV prevalence among injecting drug users (IDU) but has had no major effect on Hepatitis C incidence. To date, patients willing to start methadone can only do so in a methadone clinic (a medical centre for drug and alcohol depende...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody is present in most patients enrolled in methadone maintenance programs. Therefore, interactions between the HCV protease inhibitor telaprevir and methadone were investigated. The pharmacokinetics of R- and S-methadone were measured after administration of methadone alone and after 7 days of telaprevir (750 mg every 8 h [q8h]) coadministration in HCV-negative sub...