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Tetrodotoxin alleviates acute heroin withdrawal syndrome: A multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study
Author(s) -
Song Hui,
li Jing,
Lu ChangLi,
Kang Lin,
Xie Liang,
Zhang YangYang,
Zhou XiaoBo,
Zhong Sheng
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2011.05539.x
Subject(s) - placebo , medicine , sodium channel blocker , anesthesia , heroin , randomized controlled trial , placebo group , tetrodotoxin , adverse effect , double blind , psychiatry , sodium channel , sodium , chemistry , alternative medicine , drug , organic chemistry , pathology
Summary 1. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a powerful sodium channel blocker extracted from the puffer fish. The efficacy and safety of TTX as monotherapy for the treatment of acute heroin withdrawal syndrome were evaluated in the present study. This 7‐day, multicentre, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was carried out between December 2008 and October 2009. In total, 216 patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV diagnosis of heroin addiction were recruited. After providing written informed consent, subjects were randomly assigned to double‐blind treatment in one of the following groups: 5 μg TTX group (group 1), 10 μg TTX group (group 2) or the placebo group (group 3). 2. Evidence suggests that both 5 and 10 μg TTX significantly reduced withdrawal symptoms by day 3 compared with placebo, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events in the three groups. 3. In conclusion, this clinical trial shows that TTX (5 and 10 μg given t.i.d.) is effective in alleviating opiate withdrawal symptoms with few side‐effects.