Effects of acute buprenorphine on responses to intranasal cocaine: a pilot study

Five inpatients dependent on both intravenous cocaine and heroin were detoxified from opiates. They were then given 5 days of double-blind treatment with active or placebo buprenorphine 2 mg/d sublingually, followed by a crossover to the converse for 5 days (buprenorphine or placebo). Intranasal cocaine challenges (2 mg/kg) were performed on Days 3 and 5 of each treatment. Buprenorphine significantly enhanced patients' ratings of cocaine-induced pleasurable effects, and augmented cocaine-induced pulse increases. The buprenorphine enhancement of subjective cocaine effects appeared to be more prominent on Day 3 than on Day 5. This reduction from Day 3 to Day 5 suggests that cocaine may interact differently with buprenorphine as treatment is more prolonged.