Possible Interaction: Ethanol and Naltrexone

“Treatment with the μ-opiate receptor antagonist naltrexone has been shown to reduce craving for alcohol and alcohol intake in patients suffering from alcohol dependence.”

“ Naltrexone , an antagonist at the mu-opioid receptor, improves drinking behavior in some but not all patients probably by blocking the positive reinforcement of alcohol.”

“ Naltrexone is thought to blunt the reinforcing effects of alcohol , and a few studies have found that the effects of naltrexone are moderated by the Asn40Asp polymorphisms of the OPRM1 gene.”

“ Naltrexone (NTX), by its pharmacological action in the mesolimbic pathways, should decrease reinforcement from nicotine as well as from alcohol.”

“After alcohol challenge , the subjects reported significantly more dizziness (P=.015) in the case of NTX pretreatment, and reported less mood elevation trend, though not significant (P=.052).”

“Basal plasma beta-endorphin levels were not different, but in the case of NTX pretreatment, the increasing degree of plasma beta-endorphin during 20 min after alcohol challenge was significantly (P=.039) higher than with placebo pretreatment.”

“In the case of NTX pretreatment, the subjects reported significantly (P=.013) less urge to drink alcohol on the self-reporting urge scales, especially at postdrinking 20 min and 60 min than placebo pretreatment.”

“This results show that the NTX reduced the urge to drink alcohol with the mechanism of partially blocking the opioid positive reward system and partially mimicking the alcohol effect.”

“Conclusions: These results confirm the hypothesis that naltrexone reduces desire to drink and the amount of alcohol consumed in alcohol-dependent subjects.”

“It is hypothesized that naltrexone may reduce drinking via suppressing craving for alcohol and that this effect may be related in part to naltrexone's ability to activate the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenocortical axis.”

“Among patients who completed the 12-week trial, naltrexone reduced the consumption of alcohol.”

“ Naltrexone has also been reported to reduce ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring rodents and human alcoholics.”

“Finally, high doses of naltrexone and alcohol interacted to produce the greatest decreases in liking and best effects.”

“ Naltrexone reduced negative affect across baseline and alcohol trials.”