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Ondansetron and opiate craving. A novel pharmacological approach to addiction
L A Sell1, P J Cowen, P J Robson
1Department of Addictive Behaviour, Warneford Hospital, Oxford.
Background:
Pharmacological approaches to opiate addiction have for the most part been limited to a role in detoxification. A high percentage of patients who complete detoxification programmes relapse.
Method:
In the present study, we used a simple laboratory method to investigate suggestions from preclinical studies that 5-(hydroxytryptamine) HT3 receptor antagonists have a role in the treatment of addiction.
Results:
We showed that addicts stably maintained on methadone experienced significant craving, dysphoria, and withdrawal-like symptoms when exposed to a video containing drug-related cues. The craving was not lessened by treatment with the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron (4 mg orally).
Conclusion:
Our current findings do not support a role for 5-HT3 receptor agonists in the reduction of craving in opiate addicts.