ß_lactam antibiotics against drug addiction: A novel therapeutic option.

Drug addiction as a problem for the health of the individual and the society is the result of a complex process in which there is an interaction between brain nuclei and neurotransmitters (such as glutamate). ß-lactam antibiotics, due to their enhancing properties on the glutamate transporter glutamate transporter-1, can affect and counteract the addictive mechanisms of drugs through the regulation of extracellular glutamate. Since glutamate is a key neurotransmitter in the development of drug addiction, it seems that ß-lactams can be considered as a promising treatment for addiction. However, more research in this field is necessary to identify other mechanisms involved in their effectiveness. This article is a review of the studies conducted on the effect of ß-lactam administration in preventing the development of drug addiction, as well as their possible cellular and molecular mechanisms. This review suggests the clinical use of ß-lactam antibiotics that have weak antimicrobial properties (such as clavulanic acid) in the treatment of drug dependence.

The Role of Orexin Receptor Antagonists in Inhibiting Drug Addiction: A Review Article.

The orexinergic system and its receptors are involved in many physiological processes. Their functions in energy homeostasis, arousal, cognition, stress processing, endocrine functions, and pain modulation have been investigated. Many studies have shown that the orexinergic system cooperates with the dopaminergic system in the addiction process. Emerging evidence suggests that the orexinergic system can be effective in the induction of drug dependence and tolerance. Therefore, several researches have been conducted on the effect of orexin receptor (OXR) antagonists on reducing tolerance and dependence caused by drug abuse. Due to the significant growth of the studies on the orexinergic system, the current literature was conducted to collect the findings of previous studies on orexin and its receptors in the induction of drug addiction. In addition, cellular and molecular mechanisms of the possible role of orexin in drug tolerance and dependence are discussed. The findings indicate that the administration of OXR antagonists reduces drug dependence. OXR blockers seem to counteract the addictive effects of drugs through multiple mechanisms, such as preventing neuronal adaptation. This review proposes the potential clinical use of OXR antagonists in the treatment of drug dependence.