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Diabetic drugs will fight drug addiction
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists suggest that drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes could help combat drug addiction.
The findings of the research by scientists from Vanderbilt University have important implications for people suffering from drug addiction.
"We found that a drug called exendin-4, which is already used to treat diabetes, could help combat drug addiction. The general mechanism of action of the drug could be transformed and directed in the right direction, namely, to eliminate the pleasure effect of cocaine and other stimulants, such as amphetamine and methamphetamine," said lead author Gregg Stanwood, PhD, assistant professor of pharmacology at Vanderbilt University.
Scientists believe the study is already half successful, if only because the drug is well tolerated by people and is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
According to experts, this is already the first sign that the drug may be effective and may be useful for people who use psychostimulants.
"Any disease that is based on dopamine dysregulation may be potentially correctable, treatable. There are many similarities between metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity and mental illnesses such as drug addiction and schizophrenia," the researchers say.
The scientists conducted the experiment on animals. They produced 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, the second group reports. According to the researchers, no signs of side effects or addiction to exendin-4 are observed.
Drug addiction is a very complex disease influenced by various genetic and environmental factors, so it is unlikely that all addicts will respond the same way to such therapy.
“We don’t think that our discovery will blow up the scientific world, but we hope that the use of drugs based on exendin-4 in combination with a rehabilitation program will help people get rid of addiction and get on the path to recovery,” the scientists summarize.
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