Researchers Seeking 'Cure' For Alcohol, Nicotine Addictions

What if you could take a pill and no longer crave a cigarette or that second and third martini?

California researchers think they are close to making that a reality. Teaming with scientists at Pfizer, Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco have determined that two new compounds may be effective in treating both alcohol and nicotine dependence at the same time.

In their study, the researchers showed that alcohol consumption in rodents was significantly decreased by two compounds that target specific areas of the brain.

"The problem has been translating these important genetic findings into more effective medications for people," said co-senior author Selena E. Bartlett, PhD, director of the Preclinical Development group at the Gallo Center. The lead author of the study is Susmita Chatterjee, PhD, of the Gallo Center.

One of the new compounds, identified as CP-601932, has been shown in a clinical study to be safe in humans, says Bartlett. She recommends a clinical study to evaluate the compound's efficacy and potential benefits in treating both alcohol and nicotine dependence.

The other compound is PF-4575180. Both were developed by Pfizer and presumably would develop and market any drugs that might come from the research.

Two health problems

Alcohol dependence is a condition characterized by the harmful consequences of repeated alcohol use, a pattern of compulsive alcohol use, and often physiological dependence on alcohol. Long term heavy use of alcohol is also linked to liver and heart damage.

Tobacco use is responsible for nearly one in five deaths in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. Because cigarette smoking and tobacco use are acquired behaviors -- activities that people choose to do -- smoking is the most preventable cause of death in our society. Many smokers, meanwhile, have difficulty quitting because the nicotine in tobacco is highly addictive.

"Alcohol and nicotine addiction are often treated as separate disorders, despite the fact that 60 to 80 percent of heavy drinkers smoke tobacco, Bartlett said. "There are very few effective strategies for treating these disorders separately, let alone together. Our data suggest it may be possible to treat both alcohol and nicotine dependence with one medication."

Significantly, while the compounds had a significant effect on the rodents' alcohol consumption, their intake of sucrose was not affected.