A drug used to treat skin conditions could show great promise in treating alcohol use disorder, according to researchers at Oregon Health & Science University.
Apremilast was tested in animals and reduced alcohol consumption in different strains of mice predisposed to light to heavy alcohol use. In a placebo-controlled clinical trial of 51 people with an alcohol use disorder, the apremilast reduced average daily alcohol consumption by more than 50%, from five drinks a day to two.
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The drug increased activity in the nucleus accumbens, the brain region involved in controlling alcohol intake which is also responsible for functions such as reward, pleasure, addiction, risk, fear and aggression.
Data collected by the Ministry of Health indicate that in Brazil, a man dies every ten minutes due to the harmful use of alcohol. In 2020, there were more than 50 thousand deaths related to alcohol consumption, with men corresponding to 76.7% of these cases. The most affected age group was men aged 55 and over, followed by men aged 35 to 54.
The researchers say that apremilast is an excellent candidate for further evaluation as a new treatment. for people with alcohol use disorder, and more clinical trials should be done in people seeking treatment. The result of this research is promising for the treatment of addiction in general.
Source: Scitechdaily
