Vaccines for alcoholism and cocaine addiction coming soon

By Dr. Ananya Mandal, MDJan 9 2011

Anti-Alcoholism Vaccine

In a latest development, researchers from Chile have come up with a vaccine to cure alcoholics. It will help them kick the habit by creating a sensation of a terrible hangover after just a few drinks. The mechanism by which this vaccine acts is by neutralizing a group of enzymes that help the body to break down alcohol. When the enzymes aldehyde dehydrogenase is disabled the body accumulates the alcohol to create the hangovers after just a few drinks.

According to lead researcher Juan Asenio, of Chile’s Faculty of Sciences and Mathematics, nearly 20 percent of the Asian population lacks this enzyme and thus experience “such a strong reaction that it discourages consumption.” This vaccine would increase nausea, an accelerated heart beat, sweating and a general feeling of “unease” he said. Mr Asenjo explained, “With the vaccine, the desire to consume alcohol will be greatly reduced thanks to these reactions.” He added that the vaccine would specifically target liver cells and avoid affecting other cells. Mr Asenjo said they hoped the jab would reduce alcohol consumption by 90 to 95 per cent.

At present the vaccine has been successfully tested on rats who were dependent on alcohol and researchers got them to halve their consumption using the vaccine. Clinical trials on humans would begin in 2012. If successful, the patient will get a shot a month and not crave alcohol anymore.

Cocaine Addiction Vaccine

In another development from US researchers, a new vaccine that could help cocaine addicts to break and their costly habit was found. The team from Weill Cornell Medical College has come up with a long lasting anti-cocaine immunity in mice.

This vaccine combines a part of the common cold virus with a particle that mimics cocaine. According to lead researcher, Dr Ronald Crystal, “Our very dramatic data shows that we can protect mice against the effects of cocaine, and we think this approach could be very promising in fighting addiction in humans.” He explained that the antibody immune response produced in lab mice by the vaccine binds to, cocaine molecules before the drug reached the brains of the animals - preventing any  cocaine-related hyperactivity or adverse effects.