Lefetamine: new abuse of an old drug--clinical evaluation of opioid activity.
Lefetamine (SPA) combining amphetamine with opioid-like effects, a drug of wide abuse in Japan in the fifties, has now been introduced as such in Italy. In this study the drug was tested to verify its resemblance to opiates. Ten lefetamine abusers were hospitalized and then subjected to naloxone- and pentazocine-tests and detoxified. Moreover, lefetamine was administered to ten opiate addicts with an acute withdrawal syndrome and to ten methadone-treated addicts. The naloxone-test was positive and pentazocine could be substituted for lefetamine. Lefetamine was able to relieve opiate withdrawal and did not precipitate withdrawal symptoms in stabilized opiate addicts. It is concluded that lefetamine may act as an opioid partial agonist.
Mannelli
P
P
Dept. of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of The Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
Janiri
L
L
De Marinis
M
M
Tempesta
E
E
D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003000:Clonidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D010627:Phenethylamines; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; C011896:lephetamine; D003000:Clonidine; D008691:Methadone