A DOUBLE-BLIND COMPARISON OF ABECARNIL AND DIAZEPAM IN THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED ALCOHOL-WITHDRAWAL

Treatment of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome is best accomplished usin g pharmacologic agents that have minimal interaction with alcohol, hav e limited adverse effects, and are without abuse potential. The partia l benzodiazepine receptor agonist beta-carboline compound, abecarnil, has been shown in animal and human studies to possess a number of thes e characteristics and to be useful in the reduction of alcohol withdra wal convulsions in mice, In this study, 49 alcohol-dependent inpatient s who exhibited at least moderate symptoms of uncomplicated alcohol wi thdrawal were treated over a 5-day detoxification period with abecarni l or diazepam and rated daily for alcohol withdrawal symptoms and adve rse events. Both the abecarnil and diazepam treatment groups exhibited a similar marked reduction in withdrawal symptoms over time. In addit ion, similar rates of successful treatment and improvement were observ ed after 1 day of treatment and at termination in alcoholics treated w ith either medication. Overall, rates of adverse events and changes in liver enzymes were similar in both treatment groups and were generall y benign. Because of the unique pharmacologic profile of abecarnil in animal and in non-clinical human studies, including anticonvulsant act ion, low abuse liability, and a favorable side effect profile, further study of compounds of the partial benzodiazepine receptor agonist typ e in the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndromes seems warranted.