Novel pharmacotherapies and patents for alcohol abuse and alcoholism 1998-2001

Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are major medical and social problems worldwid e. Unfortunately, pharmacotherapies; currently available to physicians do n ot appear to possess relevant therapeutic efficacy. New medications are nee ded for the enhancing of abstinence and preventing relapse in alcoholics, a s well as for reducing alcohol drinking. Relevant improvements in the pharm acotherapy of alcoholism are conceived to derive from elucidation of the el usive mechanisms of alcohol action in brain. indeed, only a complete knowle dge of how alcohol acts in brain and why drinking is so pleasurable and com pelling in some individuals will allow the rational design and development of selective drugs capable of correcting the neurochemical alterations unde rlying alcohol dependence. The present paper reviews the research advances, at both preclinical and clinical levels, published in the scientific liter ature as well as the most recent (1998-2001) patent literature.