Lofexidine Reduces Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
(Research News by NIDA, January 12, 2009)
Medications such as methadone and buprenorphine are effective in helping drug-dependent individuals detoxify from heroin, morphine, and other opioid drugs. These medications are also opioids, however, and some individuals undergoing therapy for opioid addiction might prefer treatment with nonopioid medications. Investigators funded by NIDA performed a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of lofexidine, a nonopioid medication that has shown promise in the treatment of opioid withdrawal. The investigators enrolled 68 participants addicted to heroin, morphine, or hydromorphone into the study. After a 3-day period where all patients were placed on a fixed dose of morphine, investigators randomly assigned the patients either to 5 days of lofexidine treatment or to the placebo control group. Patients receiving lofexidine had fewer and less severe withdrawal symptoms than those receiving the placebo-this difference was so substantial that the trial was stopped early, as it was deemed unethical to continue giving patients the placebo in light of the benefits of lofexidine. Patients in the lofexidine group experienced more side effects such as loss of strength, dizziness, low blood pressure, and trouble sleeping; however, fewer patients in the lofexidine group discontinued treatment prematurely compared to the placebo group. “As a detoxification agent, lofexidine would represent a considerable advance over other detoxification medications currently approved for this use…because it is not a narcotic and is not considered to be an addictive drug,” conclude the authors.
Yu E, Miotto K, Akerele E, Montgomery A, Elkashef A, Walsh R, Montoya I, Fischman MW, Collins J, McSherry F, Boardman K, Davies DK, O’Brien CP, Ling W, Kleber H, Herman BH. A Phase 3 placebo-controlled, double-blind, multi-site trial of the alpha-2-adrenergic agonist, lofexidine, for opioid withdrawal. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008;97(1-2):158-168.
More information on Lofexdine: http://www.q4q.nl/methwork/methadone/Newsletter16/lofexidi.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/53874.php
http://www.britlofex.co.uk/what-is.htm