Dextromethorphan attenuated inflammation and combined opioid use in humans undergoing methadone maintenance treatment.

Abstract

Recent studies show that proinflammatory cytokines might be related to the development of opioid dependence (physiological, psychological, or both). In a double-blind, randomly stratified clinical trial investigating whether add-on dextromethorphan (60-120 mg/day) attenuated inflammation and the combined use of opioids in heroin-dependent patients undergoing methadone maintenance treatment, we evaluated whether inflammation is related to the progression of opioid dependence. All participants (107 heroin-dependent patients and 84 nondependent healthy controls) were recruited from National Cheng Kung University Hospital. Their plasma cytokine levels were measured to evaluate the effect of add-on dextromethorphan. Plasma TNF-α and IL-8 levels were significantly higher in long-term heroin-dependent patients than in healthy controls (p < 0.001). Chronic heroin-use-induced TNF-α and IL-8 levels were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in patients treated for 12 weeks with add-on dextromethorphan. Moreover, both tolerance to methadone and the combined use of opioids were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in patients taking dextromethorphan. We conclude that dextromethorphan might be a feasible adjuvant therapeutic for attenuating inflammation and inhibiting methadone tolerance and combined opioid use in heroin-dependent patients.

• Authors: Shiou-Lan Chen, Sheng-Yu Lee, Pao-Luh Tao, Yun-Hsuan Chang, Shih-Heng Chen, Chun-Hsien Chu, Po See Chen, I Hui Lee, Tzung Lieh Yeh, Yen Kuang Yang, Jau-Shyong Hong, Ru-Band Lu
• Journal: Journal of neuroimmune pharmacology : the official journal of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology (J Neuroimmune Pharmacol) Vol. 7 Issue 4 Pg. 1025-33 (Dec 2012) ISSN: 1557-1904 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 22990619 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Analgesics, Opioid
• Central Nervous System Stimulants
• Interleukin-8
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Dextromethorphan
• Morphine
• Amphetamine
• Methadone

Topics

• Adult
• Amphetamine (blood, urine)
• Amphetamine-Related Disorders (blood, urine)
• Analgesics, Opioid (blood, urine)
• Central Nervous System Stimulants (blood, urine)
• Dextromethorphan (pharmacology)
• Double-Blind Method
• Female
• Heroin Dependence (drug therapy, psychology)
• Humans
• Inflammation (drug therapy)
• Interleukin-8 (blood)
• Male
• Methadone
• Middle Aged
• Morphine (blood, urine)
• Opiate Substitution Treatment (methods)
• Secondary Prevention
• Substance Abuse Detection
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (blood)
• Young Adult