Cocaine pharmacology and current pharmacotherapies for its abuse.
Cocaine abuse continues to be prevalent and effective therapies for cocaine craving and addiction remain elusive. In the last decade immunopharmacotherapy has been proposed as a promising means to alleviate this illness. By using the organism's natural immune response, an anti-cocaine vaccine promotes the production of cocaine-specific antibodies that sequester the drug before their passage into the brain, where it exerts its reinforcing and thus addictive effects. A series of studies demonstrating the cocaine-blocking properties of various immunogenic conjugates will be reviewed in the context of the neuropsychopharmacological profile of the drug.
Carrera
M Rocío A
MR
The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Meijler
Michael M
MM
Janda
Kim D
KD
D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003042:Cocaine / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006241:Haptens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015259:Dopamine Agents; D006241:Haptens; D003042:Cocaine