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GABAPENTIN OR GABITROL
What it does: an anticonvulsant
which reduces cocaine use, makes cocaine cravings easier
to overcome and relapses less severe.
How it works: increases brain
GABA
Side effects: sedation
Availability: by prescription
from physicians
J Clin Psychiatry 2004:65:84-86 Gabapentin Reduces Cocaine
use Among Addicts From a Community Sample,Raby WN reprints
rabywil@pi.cpmc.columbia.edu.
GAMMA-VINYL-GABA (GVG)
OR VIGABATRIN
What it does: an anti epileptic
drug which reduces cocaine cravings.
How it works: increases the amount
of the neurotransmitter GABA in
the brain.
Side effects: sleepiness and
fatigue.
Availability: Vigabatrin isn't
licensed in the USA but is available to people who live
in Canada and other countries.
Further information about Vigabatrin can be found by typing
in “Vigabatrin and Cocaine” in a search engine.
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BACLOFEN OR LIORESAL
What it does: a muscle relaxant
found to curb cocaine cravings and reduce use of cocaine
especially in chronic, heavy users.
How it works: increases the amount
of GABA in the brain.
Side effects: drowsiness, weakness,
fatigue, nausea, headache, constipation
Availability: by prescription
from physicians.
J Clin Psychiatry 2003:64:1440-1448 Randomized Placebo-Controlled
trial for Cocaine dependence Shoptaw,S etc- reprints Shoptaw@friendsresearch.org. Baclofen plus substance abuse counseling significantly reduced cocaine use in recovering addicts compared to placebo plus counseling.
N-ACETYLCYSTEINE (NAC)
What it does: an amino acid
that curbs cocaine cravings and repairs damage in the brain
caused by cocaine use in animals. Human trials will begin
in 2004.
How it works: restores glutamate
levels to normal in the area of the brain where addiction
occurs.
Availability: over the counter.
For specific suggestions of other amino acids that can lessen
cravings see nutrition in the Holistic
Approaches section of this web site.
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NOCAINE
What it does: provides a weaker
version of cocaine's effects.
How it works: blocks the stimulant
effects of cocaine.
Side effects: unknown to us.
Availability: only by participating
in research trials.
Information about clinical trials on cocaine can be found
at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Just enter the word cocaine in the "Search Clinical Trials"
box.
DISULFIRAM (ANATBUSE)
What it does: It is
an anti-alcoholic agent that makes drinking of alcohol or
use of cocaine highly unpleasant.
How it works: It increases acetaldehyde
in the blood.
Side effects: nausea and vomiting,
sometimes very severe, if any alcohol or cocaine is used.
Other common side effects including rapid heart rate,
difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, confusion and fainting.
Availability: by prescription from
physicians
Recent research suggests that disulfiram (also known as Antabuse),
a medication used to treat alcohol addiction, is effective
in reducing cocaine abuse, especially in conjunction with
cognitive behavioral therapy.
Carroll KM, et al. "Efficacy
of Disulfiram and Cognitive Behavior Therapy in Cocaine-Dependent
Outpatients: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial." Archives
of General Psychiatry. 61:264-272, 2004.
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MODAFINIL (PROVIGIL)
What it does: reduces high from cocaine and also reduces cocaine cravings
How it works: unknown... but it does increase glutamate in the brain
Side effects: most common side effects are headache, back pain
nausea, nervousness, insomnia and anxiety.
Availability: by prescription from physicians
Warning: it is a schedule 4 drug so there is some potential for addiction to it
Dackis CA, Kampman KM, Lynch KG, Pettinati HM,O'Brien CP. "A double blind, placebo controlled trial of modafinil for cocaine dependence." Neuropsychopharmacology. 30: 205-211, 2005.
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Updated :: April 28, 2008