- Ritalin’s Potential Role in Treating Cocaine Addiction
- Animal Studies Show Promise, Human Results Mixed
- Exploring Ritalin Variants for Enhanced Efficacy
A study suggests that the ADHD medication Ritalin could help wean Americans off cocaine.
Researchers at the University of Virginia report that animal studies indicate the drug reduces dependence on the white substance and could aid in the treatment of cocaine addiction, although results in humans have been ‘ more mixed’.
Now that they have compiled a library of various forms of methylphenidate (MPH), the active ingredient in Ritalin, they are seeking a form that could treat cocaine addiction.
It is estimated that approximately 5 million Americans use cocaine annually, with approximately 25,000 dying as a result.
The US cocaine market, which is rife with international trafficking and crime, is estimated to be worth more than $34 billion, and according to researchers, any medication that combats addiction would be another weapon in the country’s arsenal against this illegal trade.
Adults and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can obtain Ritalin as a prescription-only tablet.
Similar to cocaine, it increases levels of the feel-good hormone dopamine in the brain, leading to feelings of euphoria. This stimulus helps ADHD patients concentrate and avoid impulsive behavior.
However, according to scientists, the substance is less likely to be abused by patients than cocaine.
In a press release issued by the American Chemical Society, the researchers stated, “Although studies on animals have demonstrated that [Ritalin] can reduce cocaine dependence, studies on humans have yielded mixed results.”
Researchers are constructing libraries of [types of Ritalin] in pursuit of [one] with enhanced clinical efficacy.
Ritalin, cocaine, fentanyl, and oxycodone are Schedule II drugs with considerable abuse potential.
However, methadone, which is used to treat opiate addiction, is a Schedule II substance as well.
This is not the first investigation into whether MPH can alleviate cocaine addiction. Previous research was conducted on rodents, rats, and primates, but the results were mixed.
According to a 2012 study involving rhesus monkeys, there was no significant difference between primates who received MPH and those who did not in terms of the degree to which their addiction was alleviated.
Adderall, another ADHD medicine, contains amphetamines and lasts four to six hours. In recent years, however, it has become a popular party substance used to induce feelings of euphoria.
Ritalin, which is more prevalent in Europe, also increases dopamine levels via a distinct mechanism. According to scientists, its effects last for about three to four hours.
Ritalin is prescribed to two million Americans, and 4% of high school seniors abuse it.
Ritalin’s ability to cure cocaine addiction is new, although the FDA has searched such treatments before.
Several studies conducted in the early 2000s examined the efficacy of using disulfiram, which is effective against alcoholism, to treat cocaine addiction, but the results were inconsistent.
In addition, research was conducted on the narcolepsy treatment modafinil, with similarly inconsistent results.
