Possible Interaction: Cocaine and Nimodipine

“This double blind, placebo controlled study of acute calcium channel antagonist use during cocaine administration in five patients found that 60 mg of nimodipine treatment attenuated the systolic, but not diastolic, blood pressure effects of cocaine.”

“Behavioral sensitization to cocaine was blocked by coadministration of nimodipine , anL-type calcium channel blocker.”

“ Nimodipine , but not haloperidol, blocked the expression of behavioural sensitization to cocaine after a cocaine challenge.”

“Nifedipine and nimodipine dose-dependently increased the lethalities produced by 80 mg/kg cocaine.”

“Thus, the Ca2+ channel blocker nimodipine decreases the sensitivity of mice and rats to the reinforcing effects of cocaine while the Ca2+ channel activator BayK 8644 makes the animals more sensitive to cocaine reward.”

“ Nimodipine was the most potent agent in antagonizing the pressor effect of cocaine.”

“Co-administration with nimodipine , an agent that blocks the impulse-dependent increase in synaptic concentrations of dopamine caused by cocaine , not only blocked sensitization but also blocked the increase in occupation of receptors.”

“The 1,4-dihydropyridine nimodipine and the benzothiazepine diltiazem were more effective in inhibiting cocaine (20 mg/kg)-induced responses than amphetamine (0.6 mg/kg)-induced responses.”

“Pretreatment of mice with isradipine (1.0-3.0 mg/kg, SC) or nimodipine (5-20 mg/kg, SC) inhibited in a dose-related manner self-administration both of cocaine and morphine contingent upon a nose-poke response.”

“These data suggest that nimodipine and, especially, isradipine suppress the reinforcing properties of morphine and cocaine and may be an effective pharmacotherapy for treatment of cocaine and heroin abuse.”

“Thus, cocaine toxicity was partially reversed by nimodipine.”