PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS ASSOCIATED WITH DETOXIFICATION IN OPIOID ADDICTS

The study involved 29 opioid-addicted outpatients suffering from psych ological distress who underwent treatment with parenteral and oral S-a denosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) for 4 weeks. The SAMe dosage schedule was 400 mg intravenously daily for 1 week and 200 mg intramuscularly daily plus 400 mg orally twice daily for the subsequent 3 weeks. Evaluation s were performed via the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Zung Se lf-Rating Scale for Depression, Ruffin and Ferreri Depression Diagram, and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety at baseline and on days 7, 14, and 28. Significant improvements were reported on all psychometric scales on day 28 versus baseline, except on the Zung scale. SAMe was well tolerated and no adverse side effects were reported.