Objectives: We investigated the effects of naltrexone on acute alcohol response, stimulant and sedative, in healthy social drinkers using two doses of alcohol intake.
Methods: Twenty four healthy male medical students were voluntarily participated. The experimental method was crossover design. Subjects received 25 mg/day or 50 mg/day of naltrexone on the experimental days. Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (BAES), alcohol craving, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were measured before drinking and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after drinking.
Results: 1) Group of 0.6 mg/kg of alcohol intake. When the scores of stimulative subscale of BAES were compared between the naltrexone and control group, the scores were significantly lower in the naltrexone group at 15 and 90 min after drinking. Alcohol induced sedative effect was significantly higher in the naltrexone group at 90 min after drinking. The alcohol induced alcohol craving at 45 and 60 min after drinking was significantly lower in the naltrexone group as compared to the control. 2) Group of 0.3 mg/kg of alcohol intake. The alcohol induced stimulative effect evident in the control group seen in the time span of 15 to 45 min after drinking was not seen in the naltrexone group. The increase of alcohol induced alcohol craving noticed at 30 min after drinking in the control group was not seen in the naltrexone group. BAC at 15 min after drinking was lower in the naltrexone group compared to the control.
Conclusion: Naltrexone is suggested to attenuate stimulative effect, to intensify sedative effect, and to block alcohol induced alcohol craving. These triple actions might be utilized for treatment and prevention of relapse of alcohol dependence.
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