Rf. Anton et al., A DOUBLE-BLIND COMPARISON OF ABECARNIL AND DIAZEPAM IN THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED ALCOHOL-WITHDRAWAL, Psychopharmacology, 131(2), 1997, pp. 123-129
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.