Butyrylcholinesterase levels and subjective effects of smoked cocaine in healthy cocaine users. (March 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Askalsky, Paula; Kalapatapu, Raj K.; Foltin, Richard W.; Comer, Sandra D.
• Is Part Of: American journal of drug and alcohol abuse. Volume 41:Number 2(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 161
• Page End: 165
• Publication Date: 2015-03
• Subjects: Drug abuse -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Substance-abuse -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Substance-Related Disorders -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.3109/00952990.2014.966197
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0095-2990

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Background</italic>: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is beginning to attract attention as a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment because of its role in metabolizing cocaine. <italic>Objective</italic>: The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether endogenous BChE levels are associated with the subjective effects of cocaine. <italic>Methods</italic>: Data from 28 participants in five inpatient cocaine self-administration studies were included in the present analysis. Four minutes after each smoked cocaine dose, participants rated their drug-related effects from 0–100 using a computerized self-report Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The main outcome measures were nine change-in-VAS ratings between a baseline placebo dose and a 25-mg smoked cocaine dose. <italic>Results</italic>: After controlling for age, sex, total years of cocaine use, total milligrams of cocaine administered before the 25-mg dose being analyzed, and baseline diastolic blood pressure, endogenous BChE was not significantly associated with any of the nine change-in-VAS ratings. <italic>Conclusion</italic>: Though BChE appears to be a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment, these data suggest that endogenous levels of BChE may not play a role in modifying the subjective effects of cocaine. Future larger studies of BChE in respect to the subjective effects produced by cocaine are needed to confirm or refute these findings.</p> </abstract>