Posted by Brian W on August 21, 1998 at 17:03:16:
In Reply to: Chonic CH, Nemexin helped posted by Heribert Bohlen on August 20, 1998 at 13:13:50:
Ror information purposes i found this reference on the web. It raises more questions for me than it answers but if the good doctor says it works for him then i think we should be paying attention to this form of relief. I don't understand it but it appears to be approaching the cluster problem from yet another direction. For all those who have tried everything on the list... the list keeps getting longer.
Thank you Herr Dr Bohlen for sharing with us.
The following passage is copied and pasted from Opiates 2:
......................................................
Opiate antagonists
The problem of addiction led to the search for substances with the
painkilling effects of morphine but without its addictive effect. The first
result was nalorphine, an opiate antagonist which can thus be used for the
treatment of an acute overdose of opiates. This material blocks the opiate
receptors, so that they cannot be stimulated by opiates. It must be applied
with care: an overdose provokes an acute withdrawal syndrome among opiate
addicts! All the same, nalorphine also proved to have some effect as an
opiate agonist and was thus subjected to further research.
The next substance was a full antagonist: naloxon. This genuine antagonist
has virtually no effect except after the use of opiates. Soon afterwards
naltrexon was developed. This substance has the same effects as naloxon,
but it is more suitable for oral application and is effective for a longer
period. These substances completely block the effect of opiate agonists
without any appreciable sideeffects. The substance is virtually nontoxic.
If naltrexon is administered in sufficient doses (120 mg 3x week), the
effects of heroin are completely countered. The pharmacological basis for
naltrexon therapy which is proposed in the US and is also being considered
in the Netherlands is thus beyond discussion. Since the blockade is
competitive, high doses of heroin can overcome the naltrexon. However, this
seems pointless: such large amounts of heroin are expensive, and it is
easier to take naltrexon once than simply to carry on using heroin. There
is therefore no point in naltrexon maintenance for those who do not want to
live a clean life, but it is useful for those who do. Naltrexon can protect
this group against unforeseen situations in which they might give in to
sudden temptation (the return of an old friend from the scene, etc.).