[Clinical study of scopolamine detoxification for the treatment of heroin addicts].
Keywords
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of treatment of heroin addicts (n = 100) by scopolamine detoxification (10 days program).
METHODS
Methadone detoxification (10 days program) group (n = 50) and clonidine treated group (n = 50) served as controls.
RESULTS
The scores of abstinence syndrome in scopolamine detoxification group were lower that those in clonidine treated group in the first three days of protocol, but this difference disappeared in the late stage of treatment. While scopolamine detoxification was effective as methadone detoxification in the control of abstinence syndrome during the first five days of treatment but the difference in the scores of abstinence syndrome between scopolamine and methadone group was observed during the late five days of protocol. The side-effects produced by scopolamine in general were dry mouth, somnolence, tachycardia, blurred vision and so on, which relieved gradually or disappeared with decreasing of its doses.
CONCLUSIONS
Scopolamine does not result in potential dependence and has definite curative effect in the treatment of heroin addiction.