BACKGROUND Buprenorphine is a partial µ-opioid receptor agonist used for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence. Because of the partial agonism and high receptor affinity, it may precipitate withdrawal symptoms during induction in persons on full µ-opioid receptor agonists. Therefore, current guidelines and drug labels recommend leaving a sufficient time period since the last full agonist u...

BACKGROUND Results of preclinical studies suggest that the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen may be useful in treatment of opioid dependence. This study was aimed at assessing the possible efficacy of baclofen for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence. METHODS A total of 40 opioid-dependent patients were detoxified and randomly assigned to receive baclofen (60 mg/day) or placebo in a 12-...

Methadone is widely being used for opioid substitution therapy. However, the administration of methadone to opioid dependent individual is frequently accompanied by withdrawal syndrome and chemical dependency develops. Other than that, it is also difficult to retain patients in the treatment programme making their retention rates are decreasing over time. This article is written to higlights th...

An optimal therapeutics to manage opioid withdrawal syndrome is desired for opioid addiction treatment. Down-regulation of endogenous endomorphin-2 (EM2) level in the central nervous system after continuous morphine exposure was observed, which suggested that increase of EM2 could be an alternative novel method for opioid dependence. As a short peptide, the short half-life of EM2 limits its cli...

Monoaminergic drugs can modify opioid withdrawal in nonhumans, and cocaine is reported to attenuate opioid withdrawal in humans. Drug discrimination was used to examine whether s.c. cocaine or other indirect-acting monoamine agonists attenuate morphine (3.2 mg/kg/day) withdrawal induced by naltrexone and by 27 h of morphine deprivation. Naltrexone-precipitated withdrawal was attenuated not only...

the mechanisms of drug dependence and rewarding properties of opiates are not exactly known and several neurotransmitters seem to be involved. it is possible that the rennin-angiotensin system could interact with the opioid system, since it has been shown that angiotensin ii(ang) and ace inhibitors have analgesic, anticonvulsant and antidepression effects and in some cases they could antagonize...

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common movement disorder, which disturbs sleep and consequently results in reduced daytime functioning. Alteration in nigral iron deposition and dysfunction of dopaminergic modulation is generally thought to be the main underlying pathophysiology of RLS.1 Oxycodone, a semisynthetic opioid, is one of the treatment options for severe RLS. Its analgesic effect is m...

BACKGROUND Opioid dependence is one of the major social and psychiatric problem of society. Unfortunately there is no non opiate treatment available. For centuries man has used plants for their healing proprieties. These plants play a fundamental part in all treatment modalities, both ancient and modern. METHODS This study was conducted to find non opiate treatment for opiate withdrawal. Tota...