In a groundbreaking development in the fight against drug addiction, a widely used antidepressant is showing promising results in reducing methamphetamine use. Bupropion, marketed under the brand names Wellbutrin and Zyban among others, appears to be a key in the battle against methamphetamine addiction based on recent scientific research.
Researchers from several universities in the United States, including Columbia University and the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), have discovered benefits of bupropion in curbing the cravings for methamphetamine. It works by stifling the intense highs created by the drug, invariably lessening its appeal to users. The findings, if further validated, could change the landscape of addiction treatment, providing new hope for addicts and their families across the world.
The study, published in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine,’ involved 403 adult participants who had methamphetamine use disorder. Over 13 weeks, half received injections of extended-release naltrexone, a drug typically used to treat opioid and alcohol addictions, and bupropion pills. Simultaneously, the other half got placebo versions.
The two-drug treatment showed promising results. Notably, around 13.4% of participants receiving active medication treatment produced negative urine samples at weeks five and six, compared to 2.5% in the placebo group.
Despite limitations such as the brief study duration and a small percentage of participants achieving stable abstinence, this finding, in a therapeutic area that currently has no approved medication, is an important step forward.
Notably, both the active drugs involved in the study are already FDA-approved. Bupropion, an atypical antidepressant, is primarily used for treating major depressive disorder and seasonal affective disorder. It has shown potential in managing cravings for different substances, including nicotine and cocaine but has not been extensively studied for methamphetamine addiction.
Methamphetamine, colloquially known as ‘meth’ or ‘crystal meth,’ is a highly addictive and dangerous drug that causes a strong and quick rush of euphoria in users. Its misuse is a significant public health concern. Despite numerous efforts and campaigns, methamphetamine addiction remains a glaring challenge across the globe.
In the United States, methamphetamine-related deaths have seen a dramatic increase. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), deaths involving methamphetamine escalated from about 1,887 in 2011 to around 10,333 in 2017. Furthermore, methamphetamine’s relationship to risky sexual behaviors has been highlighted as a driver of the HIV and hepatitis C epidemics.
The World Health Organization terms methamphetamine as one of the most abused drugs worldwide because of its easy availability, low cost, and potent effects. It also points out the dearth of approved pharmacotherapies for treating methamphetamine dependence, making this discovery even more critical.
The exploration highlighted the scarcity of treatment options for methamphetamine addiction until now. A 2015 study mentioned that over 60% of methamphetamine addicts who went through behavioral therapy relapsed within a year. In contrast, according to NIDA estimates, the relapse rate for addiction generally ranges from 40% to 60%.
While the reported success of a commonly used antidepressant such as bupropion in curbing methamphetamine use is indeed encouraging, researchers acknowledge more studies are required to corroborate these findings. They also emphasize the importance of combining medical treatment with community-based substance abuse programs for a comprehensive approach to battling this global epidemic.
Moreover, the researchers are optimistic that their findings could open up further investigations to understand the interplay between the brain’s reward system, mental health disorders, and addiction. This is a crucial area of research as the co-occurrence of substance use disorders and mental health disorders is common.
As the world grapples with the crisis of methamphetamine misuse, the introduction of a potentially effective treatment option offers a glimmer of hope. However, as science takes its path, the immediate challenge remains: managing and mitigating the socio-economic impact of this grave public health problem.
Original Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/this-common-antidepressant-can-help-cut-back-methamphetamine-use
