A PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL OF L-DOPA CARBIDOPA IN EARLY COCAINE ABSTINENCE

Thirty patients with primary cocaine dependence who had used cocaine w ithin the past 24 hours and were being admitted to a detoxification wa rd were rated for signs and symptoms of cocaine abstinence and craving . They then received four doses of either L-dihydroxy-phenylalanine/ca rbidopa (100 mg/25 mg) or placebo over the next day. Ratings were repe ated in the late afternoon of the day of admission and after the final morning dose the next day. No significant differences in abstinence s cores were found between the two treatment groups. The lack of drug-pl acebo differences appeared to be mainly due to rapid clearing of absti nence symptoms in the placebo-treated patients.