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Benztropine pretreatment does not affect responses to acute cocaine administration in human volunteers

✍ Scribed by David M. Penetar; Alison R. Looby; Zhaohui Su; Leslie H. Lundahl; Monika Erös-Sarnyai; Jane F. McNeil; Scott E. Lukas


Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
2006
Tongue
English
Weight
158 KB
Volume
21
Category
Article
ISSN
0885-6222

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✦ Synopsis


Benztropine (Cogentin ) was evaluated for its ability to block cocaine's physiological and subjective effects in humans. In healthy, recreational users of cocaine, placebo, or benztropine (1, 2, and 4 mg orally) was given 2 hr before subjects self-administered 0.9 mg/kg of cocaine intranasally. Measurements were made for 2 hr following cocaine administration, and plasma cocaine and cocaine metabolites were assayed. Cocaine produced typical increases in heart rate and alterations in self-reports measured by visual analog scales (VAS). Benztropine alone did not produce changes on any of these measures. Responses to cocaine with and without benztropine pretreatment were similar: benztropine did not change cocaine's effects. This study of one of the tropane-ring analogs that is approved for human use suggests this compound does not alter cocaine-induced effects, but just as importantly, does not produce any adverse behavioral or physiological effects. The exact therapeutic application of benztropine as a possible adjunct treatment for cocaine abuse in humans require further exploration.