Effects of Jitai tablet, a traditional Chinese medicine, on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol levels in heroin addicts during abstinence.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the changes in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in heroin addicts given Jitai tablet treatment during abstinence.


METHODS
Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.


METHODS
Drug Rehabilitation Bureau of Shanghai Police, China.


METHODS
99 volunteers, including 69 heroin addicts and 30 healthy volunteers.


METHODS
69 heroin addicts randomly divided into two groups: the Jitai tablet group, which comprised 34 heroin addicts given Jitai tablet treatment during abstinence, and the placebo group, which comprised 35 heroin addicts given placebo. A control group consisted of 30 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers.


METHODS
ACTH and cortisol in plasma were measured in all groups at baseline and in the Jitai tablet and placebo groups on the third, seventh, and 14th days of abstinence.


RESULTS
Levels of both ACTH (p<.01) and cortisol (p<.001) were significantly higher in heroin addicts at baseline than in the healthy volunteers. Jitai tablet treatment restored plasma cortisol levels to normal more rapidly than did placebo treatment (p<.05), but not ACTH levels. A positive correlation between ACTH and cortisol values at baseline (p<.01) was also found with withdrawal symptom scores and daily dosages of heroin.


CONCLUSIONS
Heroin addicts could respond to Jitai tablets through changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis.
1 Department of Clinical Pharmacology, National Institute on Drug Dependence, Peking University , Beijing, China .
Hua-ying
HY
Fan
Li
L
Sun
Xiao-xiao
XX
Li
Shao-bo
SB
Zhou
Jun-cheng
JC
Liang
Ben-yong
BY
Yan
Yu
Y
Li
Yan-ping
YP
Deng
D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone