lephetamine and Substance-Withdrawal-Syndrome

Thirty-nine methadone maintenance patients were included in a 9-day, double blind, randomized, inpatient detoxification trial. Methadone was tapered to 10 mg/day and then patients were assigned to one of these 3 protocols: clonidine (0.3-0.9 mg/day), lefetamine (60-240 mg/day), buprenorphine (0.15-0.9 mg/day). Buprenorphine treatment was significantly superior to clonidine and to lefetamine (F = 3.96 df = 2, 29 P < 0.05) in controlling objective, subjective and psychological withdrawal symptomatology. Clonidine was more effective than lefetamine in suppressing withdrawal in the first 3 days of treatment (day 3: F = 4.10 df = 2, 30 P < 0.05), and this trend was apparent on the objective and psychological items. In addition to evaluations of the efficacy of the single drugs used, the study showed that tapering methadone to low doses before entering the pharmacologically assisted discontinuation phase was clinically acceptable in detoxification from long-term methadone treatment.

Topics: Adult; Analgesics, Opioid; Buprenorphine; Clonidine; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heroin Dependence; Humans; Male; Methadone; Neurologic Examination; Opioid-Related Disorders; Patient Admission; Phenethylamines; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome

Lephetamine (L-SPA) is a compound with central analgesic and anti-inflammatory action, recently reported to be abused in Italy. In this study, cases of L-SPA abuse were recorded. The survey included 15 patients who were assessed for effects caused by using L-SPA and induced by withdrawal. Moreover L-SPA was administered to 15 volunteers. L-SPA displayed effects partly similar to opiates and its withdrawal caused both subjective and objective symptoms. It is concluded that L-SPA exhibits abuse liability and dependence potential of a certain degree.

Topics: Female; Male; Phenethylamines; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Substance-Related Disorders

A case of lefetamine abuse (0.9-1.8 g/day in 15-30 i.m. divided doses) is reported. In this patient, the administration of naloxone precipitated a mild opiate-like withdrawal syndrome, characterized by mydriasis, piloerection, yawning and a slight increase of blood pressure. The complete withdrawal of lefetamine, substituted by a placebo regimen, aggravated these symptoms. Furthermore, experimental results showed that lefetamine induced a naloxone-reversible inhibition of the guinea-pig ileum contractile response to electric field stimulation, and that naloxone pretreatment of mice prevented lefetamine antinociceptive activity in the hot-plate test. The clinical and experimental findings suggest that lefetamine has an opiate-like activity.

Topics: Animals; Guinea Pigs; Humans; Ileum; In Vitro Techniques; Male; Mice; Middle Aged; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Smooth; Naloxone; Nociceptors; Phenethylamines; Receptors, Opioid; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Substance-Related Disorders

The drug dependence potential of viloxazine was tested in 5 experiments on rhesus monkeys. In gross behavioral observation of normal monkeys the acute CNS effects of the drug were found to be very weak. Decrement of spontaneous motor activity and occasional eye-closing were observed with single doses higher than 16 mg/kg IV, IM and 128 mg/kg PO, while convulsions and death occured at 64 mg/kg IV and IM. Viloxazine did not suppress the morphine and barbital withdrawal signs in monkeys that had been made physically dependent on these drugs and withdrawal. In the test for physical dependence by repeated administration of the drug at 16 mg/kg IM twice daily for 31 days in normal monkeys, no observable withdrawal sign was developed in the naloxone precipitation and natural withdrawal tests. In intravenous self-administration experiments, a weak reinforcing effect was demonstrated in some monkeys, but the effect was extremely weak. Thus, viloxazine was found to be physical dependence-free and its overall dependence potential was regarded as very low.

Topics: Animals; Barbital; Behavior, Animal; Female; Haplorhini; Humans; Macaca mulatta; Male; Morphine Dependence; Morpholines; Phenethylamines; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Substance-Related Disorders; Viloxazine