DOUBLE, DOUBLE TOIL AND TROUBLE –
April 18, 2024 – A combo of an allergy drug and a blood pressure med appears to lower daily drinking in folks battling severe alcoholism, French researchers report.
The two generic drugs are the antihistamine cyproheptadine and prazosin, which treats high blood pressure and urinary urgency, noted a team led by Henri-Jean Aubin, of the Université Paris-Saclay in Villejuif.
Aubin’s group thought the drug duo might work against alcohol use disorder because cyproheptadine works on brain cell receptors linked to impulsive behaviors, while prazosin targets receptors associated with cravings.
Speaking in an American Psychiatric Association news release, Aubin noted that current medications for alcohol use disorder offer only “limited-to-moderate” effectiveness, so any additional treatment options are welcome.
