Preliminary findings on the use of metadoxine for the treatment of alcohol dependence and alcoholic liver disease.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Metadoxine is approved in Europe for alcohol intoxication and is also indicated for alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This study aims to investigate the use of metadoxine as a potential pharmacotherapy for alcohol dependence (AD).

METHODS:

This is a retrospective study of 94 outpatients with AD, who received metadoxine for alcohol intoxication and were assessed for alcohol consumption, craving [Visual Analog Scale (VAS)] and liver-related and alcohol-related biomarkers [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase, mean corpuscular volume].

RESULTS:

Range of metadoxine dose was 500-2000 mg/day, with a mean dose of 1277(s.d.290) mg/day, and for a period of 2-42 days, with a mean period of 8.9(s.d.7.0) days. Follow-up data were available for 52 patients (55.3%); 35(67.3%) patients were completely abstinent. There was a significant decrease in drinks per week, even after substituting baseline drinking as follow-up data for dropouts (p < 0.001) and examining drinking pre-treatment and post-treatment for those who did not achieve abstinence (p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in the VAS (p < 0.001) and a significant improvement in the AST/ALT ratio (p = 0.03).

DISCUSSION:

Despite important limitations, this study represents a further preliminary observation suggesting metadoxine as a novel alcohol pharmacotherapy, including in alcohol-dependent patients with ALD.

• Authors: Lorenzo Leggio, George A Kenna, Anna Ferrulli, William H Zywiak, Fabio Caputo, Robert M Swift, Giovanni Addolorato
• Journal: Human psychopharmacology (Hum Psychopharmacol) Vol. 26 Issue 8 Pg. 554-9 (Dec 2011) ISSN: 1099-1077 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22095793 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Chemical References

• Alcohol Deterrents
• Drug Combinations
• metadoxine
• Pyridoxine
• Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid

Topics

• Adult
• Alcohol Deterrents (therapeutic use)
• Alcoholism (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Drug Combinations
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Liver Diseases, Alcoholic (drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Pyridoxine (therapeutic use)
• Pyrrolidonecarboxylic Acid (therapeutic use)
• Retrospective Studies