Harmful use of alcohol not only causes myriad health problems, injuries and deaths, but also causes significant social and economic damage to individuals, families and societies. A new study finds that drugs used to treat skin conditions may effectively combat problem drinking.
The negative effects of alcohol on the body are well known. Alcohol use disorder (AUD), a complex psychiatric disorder, is characterized by the inability to stop or control alcohol consumption despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. AUD is an umbrella term for alcohol abuse, alcoholism, alcoholism, and the colloquial term alcoholism.
Although our understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying AUD has improved, since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of acamprosate (Campral) in 2004, pharmacological treatments for the disease have remained elusive. Options have barely advanced. Disulfiram (Antabuse) and naltrexone are the only two other drugs currently available to treat AUD, and teams of researchers across the United States are exploring the use of currently available drugs as new treatment options. We invite you to investigate whether it is suitable for
The researchers relied on previous research supporting the effects of the body’s immune and inflammatory responses on binge drinking, motivation to drink, and alcohol dependence. A helpful genome-wide association study suggested a link between the enzyme phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), particularly the subtype PDE4b, and alcohol and nicotine dependence.
PDE4 causes degradation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), an intracellular molecule that plays an important role in the inflammatory process. Inhibition of cAMP degradation by PDE4 has been shown to have therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects.
One such PDE4 inhibitor, apremilast (Otezla), an anti-inflammatory agent used to treat psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, stood out. Researchers began testing the drug’s efficacy first in mice and then in humans.
Through experiments in mice, researchers found that apremilast acts on the nucleus accumbens, which processes incoming rewarding and reinforcing stimuli associated with addictive drugs, sex, and exercise. It is the region of the brain that
They found that the drug reduced excessive alcohol consumption in mice in a variety of situations, including heavy drinking, impulsiveness, stress-induced and non-stress drinking.
To validate the clinical effects seen in animal studies, researchers undertook a Phase IIa, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept study in humans. They found that orally administered apremilast was effective in reducing the number of daily drinks consumed by more than half. Reduced to 2 cups.
“We’ve never seen anything like it before,” said co-lead author Dr. Angela Osburn. “This shows great promise for treating addiction in general.”
Importantly, participants in the clinical study were not actively seeking any form of treatment for their excessive alcohol consumption. I think it may be even more effective for some people.
“The large effect size of apremilast on reducing drinking, combined with its high tolerability among participants, makes it an excellent candidate for further evaluation as a new treatment for people with alcohol use disorders. I suggest,” Mason said.
This research Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Source: Oregon Health & Science University
