Asians have more chances to get rid of alcoholism than Caucasians and Africans
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The mutation in the opioid receptor gene, possessed by almost half of the people of the Mongoloid race, facilitates the work of the antialcoholic drug.
Asians have more chances to get rid of alcoholism than Caucasians and Africans, according to researchers from the University of California in Los Angeles (USA). One of the most common drugs for the treatment of alcohol dependence is naltrexone. It binds to opioid receptors of nerve cells, which simultaneously serve as a target for alcohol. As it turned out, in the genome of Asians there is a frequently occurring mutation that facilitates the work of this medicine.
In the experiment, 35 people participated. Each was given an intravenous dose of ethanol, but some volunteers swallowed naltrexone before it, and part of it was given a placebo. Those who took naltrexone, the reaction to alcohol was different: in some, alcohol almost did not cause a sense of pleasure, and the reaction of intoxication was more pronounced; also they severely decreased the craving for alcohol. These results were confirmed after scientists checked the volunteers for genes responsible for the metabolism of alcohol and its inherent intolerance.
It was not that the alcohol was processed faster or caused an allergic reaction. The scientists found a mutation in the OPMM1 opioid mu receptor gene, to which naltrexone binds. If the combination of nucleic bases AG (adenine-guanine) or GG (guanine-guanine) was present in this gene in a certain position, naltrexone had a greater effect than when there were AA (adenine-adenine). One guanine was already enough to enhance the effect of the drug.
According to scientists, half of the people of the Mongoloid race have at least one G in the correct position in the OPRM1 gene. Among Europeans, lucky owners of this mutation 20%, among Africans - 5%. The results of this work are published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
It's no secret that there are no two people in the world who would be equally ill and equally respond to treatment. Therefore, such studies, revealing the individual characteristics of the disease, are especially promising for modern medicine.
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