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Psychoactivity and abuse potential of sumatriptan
Author(s) -
Sullivan John T,
Preston Kenzie L,
Testa Margaret P,
Busch Michael,
Jasinski Donald R
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
clinical pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.941
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1532-6535
pISSN - 0009-9236
DOI - 10.1038/clpt.1992.202
Subject(s) - sumatriptan , euphoriant , migraine , placebo , medicine , sedation , anesthesia , crossover study , substance abuse , headaches , morphine , psychology , psychiatry , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology , agonist
Sumatriptan is a 5‐HT 1D agonist of therapeutic use in migraine and cluster headaches. To determine the profile of psychoactivity and abuse potential, a double‐blind Latin‐square crossover study was conducted in 12 male subjects with histories of substance abuse. The effects of subcutaneous placebo, sumatriptan (8 and 16 mg), and morphine (10 and 20 mg) were assessed on measures of subjective, behavioral, and physiologic responses including signs, symptoms, Addiction Research Center Inventory scales, onset of drug effects and miosis. Sumatriptan was psychoactive, was discriminated from placebo, produced a dose‐related decrease on euphoria scores, elevated scores on measures of apathetic sedation and disliking, and lacked identification as a prototypic drug of abuse. There were no clinically significant effects on heart rate, pupil size, or blood pressure. In contrast, morphine (the positive control) produced expected dose‐response relationships on measures of reinforcing and physiologic effects. The study suggests that sumatriptan has a low abuse potential. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1992) 52 , 635–642; doi: 10.1038/clpt.1992.202