Chemical Compound Reduces Alcohol Cravings

Nearly 88,000 people die annually from an alcohol-related cause in the U.S., according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Nationally, alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of death. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports that 17.6 million people in the country suffer from alcohol abuse, or dependence.

“Alcoholism is a major problem in the U.S.,” said V. V. N. Phani Babu Tiruveedhula, of the Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Alcohol abuse costs almost $220 billion to the U.S. economy every year. That’s a shocking number. We need…better treatment right now.”

Tiruveedhula is in the midst of developing a new compound to treat alcoholism, and a drug could be available to the market within five to six years. He presented his research at the 250th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

“It is very exciting. We found a new way to treat alcoholism, rather than the traditional ways,” he said.

While the underlying causes of alcoholism vary, and can be quite specific to a single person, researchers know alcohol affects the brain’s reward center by releasing dopamine. The neurotransmitter increases in response to pleasurable behavior.

According to Tiruveedhula, current drugs meant to combat alcoholism focus on dopamine, and attempt to dampen the rewards from alcohol-based stimuli. But these opioid antagonists could have adverse side effects. One unintended result is anhedonia, or the inability to feel pleasure, said Tiruveedhula.

Tiruveedhula synthesized a beta-carboline compound, 3-PBC·HCl, that diminished drinking in rats bred to crave alcohol. Additionally, he simplified the production process from eight to two steps, while increasing production yield tenfold.

He worked with James Cook, a chemist at the Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Harry June, a psychopharmacologist at Howard Univ. to test the compound in a laboratory setting.

The researchers observed the compound didn’t induce side effects, such as depression or the inability to experience pleasure, according to ACS.

“What excites me is the compounds are orally active, and they don’t cause depression like some drugs do,” Cook said.

The promising effects have caused the researchers to test the compound in additional animal studies. The team is working with several other beta-carboline compounds as well.