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Diabetic drugs will fight drug addiction
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists suggest that drugs that are used to treat type 2 diabetes can help in the fight against drug addiction.
The results of research by scientists from Vanderbilt University are important for people who are addicted to drugs.
"We found that the drug called exendin-4, which is already used to treat diabetes, can help overcome the addiction to drugs. The general mechanism of action of the drug can be transformed and directed to the right track, namely to eliminate the effect of enjoying the use of cocaine and other stimulants, for example, amphetamine or methamphetamine, "comments the lead author of the study, Gregg Stanwood, Ph.D., associate professor of the Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University .
Scientists believe that the study is already half successful, if only because this drug is well tolerated by humans and approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
According to experts, this is the first sign that the drug can be effective and can be useful to people who use stimulants.
"Any disease that is based on dopamine disruption can be potentially correctable, treatable. There are many similarities between disorders of metabolic processes, such as diabetes and obesity and mental illnesses, such as drug addiction and schizophrenia, "the researchers say.
Scientists experimented on animals. They excised them with exendin-4, which is homologous to the natural hormone GLP-1. Exendin-4 significantly dulls the effect of pleasure obtained from cocaine. The results were the same regardless of the dose of the drug administered, reported second. According to the researchers, there are no signs of side effects and no addiction to exendin-4.
Addiction is a very complex disease, influenced by various genetic and environmental factors, so it is unlikely that the organism of all drug addicts will respond equally to similar therapy.
"We do not think that our discovery will explode the scientific world, but we hope that the use of drugs on the basis of exendin-4 in conjunction with a rehabilitation program will help people get rid of addiction and take the path of recovery," the scientists summarize.
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