Opioid withdrawal agent

Many recreational drugs such as benzodiazepines, amphetamines, and opioids are also metabolized by the liver. Although information is scant about the clinical significance and interactions between these drugs and antiretroviral agents, unintentional overdoses with methamphetamine and gamma hydroxybutyrate have been reported in patients using Pis, particularly ritonavir. Pis and NRTIs may alter metabohsm of methadone and precipitate opioid withdrawal (McCance-Katz et al., 2003). 

GHB was investigated as an anesthetic agent but was discontinued because of its lack of analgesia and because of adverse side effects including seizures. It is used outside the United States to treat alcohol and opioid withdrawal and was recently approved in the United States under the name Xyrem for the treatment of narcolepsy. 

Etorphine Hydrochloride Maximum care must be exercised when handling etorphine hydrochloride. Spillage on any part of the body must be washed immediately to avoid fatal reactions. When the drug is administered accidentally, a reversing agent should be given. Dependence and withdrawal symptoms are similar to those of opioid analgesics. 

The non-precipitated withdrawal procedure represents a first screen for possible induction of drug dependence and has been shown to be sensitive to withdrawal effects with a variety of dependence-inducing agents including amphetamines, cocaine, opioids and benzodiazepines. It therefore possesses face validity. On the other hand, it is remarkably difficult, under the conditions of the protocol described, to show signs of withdrawal after treatment with agents such as nicotine... 

---