OBJECTIVETo make technical standard of acupuncture manipulation for acupuncture treatment of heroin withdrawal syndrome.

METHODSTwo hundred and twenty cases of heroin withdrawal syndrome were randomly divided into an acupuncture group of 111 cases and a control group of 109 cases. They were respectively treated with acupuncture and oral administration of lofexidine hydrochloride, and their therapeutic effects were observed.

RESULTSThe heroin dependence (acute stage) were effectively withdrawn in the two groups. The treatment group in change of total scores for withdrawal symptoms before and after treatment, the total scores for withdrawal symptoms at the 4th and 5th days, treatment of insomnia and the score for self-Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the score after at the 4th day was superior to the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture has a satisfactory, rapid, safe and reliable clinical therapeutic effect.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Anxiety ; Heroin ; Heroin Dependence ; Humans ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome

Background: The menace of substance abuse is not only a socially unacceptable reality, but in its entirety is a disease and emerging as a major public health challenge. Objective: To study the socio-demographic and clinical profile of patients attending the drug de-addiction centre. Methods: A descriptive study was undertaken in a drug de-addiction centre at the Police Hospital in Srinagar, and all patients (198) who were admitted during this period were interviewed. Results: The mean (SD) age of patients was 26.8 years (SD 7.37), and over half (56%) belonged to the lower-middle social class. Poly-substance abuse was seen in 91.9%; medicinal opioids and cannabis were the most common substances abused. Most common age of initiation was 11–20 years (76.8%), with peer pressure and relief from a negative mood state being the most common reasons given for starting the drug(s). Prevalence of a co-morbid psychiatric disorder was high, on the order of 49.5%. A high rate of volatile substance use was observed among adolescents (54.5%). Conclusion: A pattern of poly-substance abuse was found to be quite common in patients, and use of volatile substances at a very young age emerged as a new trend. The dreadful repercussions of substance abuse justify the urgency to evolve a comprehensive strategy.
Substance-Related Disorders ; Heroin Dependence ; Social Problems ; India

Acute Disease ; Adult ; Esotropia ; etiology ; Heroin ; pharmacokinetics ; Heroin Dependence ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Inactivation, Metabolic ; physiology ; Male

OBJECTIVE: The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are markers that can determine the presence of systemic inflammatory response. In this study, we examined the NLR and PLR levels in patients with heroin dependence compared to healthy controls. METHODS: The study sample included 90 male patients with heroin dependence aged 18 to 45 years and 60 healthy subjects who had similar socio-demographic characteristics as the patient group. The diagnoses of heroin dependence and other Axis I psychiatric disorders in the patient and control groups were screened with the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (SCID-I). The extent of heroin addiction was assessed with the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). RESULTS: The mean NLR and PLR levels of patients with heroin dependence were significantly higher than the control subjects (p=0.031 and p < 0.001, respectively). Positive correlations were found between NLR, PLR and duration of the disorder. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that inflammatory processes may play a role in the pathophysiology of heroin dependence.
Diagnosis ; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Healthy Volunteers ; Heroin Dependence ; Heroin* ; Humans ; Male* ; Prospective Studies*

OBJECTIVETo analyze the electrical activity property changes in nucleus accumbens (NAc) of heroin-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) rats during different stages of heroin dependence and to explore NAc's roles in the formation of drug dependence.

METHODSRecording electrodes were bilaterally embedded into the NAcs of rats with the aid of stereotaxic apparatus, followed by establishment of heroin-dependent rat model. The NAc electrical activity during 3 different stages of heroin dependence, including heroin pre-exposure, immediate post-exposure and heroin withdrawal, were respectively recorded using EEG wireless telemetry techniques. The frequency distribution (ranging from 0.5 to 30 Hz) and the amplitude of NAc electrical activity were analyzed and measured.

RESULTSHeroin-dependent rat models were successfully established and their withdrawal symptoms were evident. All rats showed a conditioned place preference (CPP) for the white box after 5-10 days of heroin-exposure, and displayed a maximum withdrawal symptoms on 2d after heroin- withdrawal. During all statges of heroin-dependence, the NAc electrical activity contained the highest proportion of delta rhythm and the lowest proportion of alpha2 rhythm. The discharge frequence band was similar across different stages. There was a significantly increased ratio of low-frequency discharges (delta rhythm) and decreased ratio of high-frequency discharges (beta rhythm) in NAc of rats during the immediate post- heroin exposure stage when compared with that during pre-exposure and heroin withdrawal stages. During the withdrawal stage, the ratio of at rhythm was significantly lower than during pre- and post-heroin exposure stages (P < 0.01). Further, the mean discharge amplitude in NAcs during immediate post-exposure and withdrawal stages was significantly increased relative to pre-exposure stage. However, the mean discharge amplitude during heroin withdrawal stage was significantly lower than during immediate post-exposure stage.

CONCLUSIONThe electrical activity properties in rat NAcs showed a significant change during different stages of heroin-dependence, which suggested that neuronal activities in NAcs might contribute to the modulation of drug-dependence.

Animals ; Conditioning, Operant ; Heroin ; pharmacology ; Heroin Dependence ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nucleus Accumbens ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Telemetry

OBJECTIVETo study the changes of neutral alpha-glucoside activity in the epididymis of heroin-dependent and heroin-withdrawal rats, and to investigate the effects of intervention with purine nucleotide (AMP and GMP).

METHODSEighty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups of equal number, control, nucleotide, heroin, heroin + nucleotide, 3 d withdrawal, 9 d withdrawal, 3 d nucleotide (nucleotide administrated for 3 days after heroin withdrawal) and 9 d nucleotide (nucleotide administrated for 9 days after heroin withdrawal). Neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in the epididymis was detected in each group of rats.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, neutral alpha-glucoside activity was markedly decreased in the heroin group (P < 0.05), and also in the 3 d and 9 d withdrawal groups, although with no significant differences (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONHeroin reduces neutral alpha-glucoside activity in the epididymis of rats, and this effect may continue for some time after drug withdrawal, while purine nucleotide can keep neutral alpha-glucosidase activity in a relatively stable state.

Animals ; Epididymis ; chemistry ; Heroin ; adverse effects ; Heroin Dependence ; metabolism ; Male ; Purine Nucleotides ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; alpha-Glucosidases ; metabolism

China ; Heroin Dependence ; rehabilitation ; Humans ; Methadone ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Narcotics ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use

Adult ; Heroin Dependence ; drug therapy ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Male ; Methadone ; therapeutic use ; Patient Compliance ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo study effects of electroacupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B2) on protracted withdrawl syndrome of the patient of heroin dependence.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty cases of heroin dependence were randomly divided into 4 groups: acupuncture group I (Jianji and Shenshu acupoints), acupuncture group II (acupoints at limbs), simulation group and control group. Protracted withdrawl syndrome scale, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to observe changes of the scores before and after treatment of 4, 8, 10 weeks.

RESULTSIn the treatment of 4, 8, 10 weeks, the cumulative scores for protracted withdrawl syndrome, HAMA and SDS in the acupuncture group I and II decreased significantly as compared with those in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture can significantly improve protracted withdrawl syndrome, alleviate anxiety and depression, and electroacupuncture at Jiaji (EX-B2) being better than at the acupoints of the limbs.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Heroin Dependence ; Humans ; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome

BACKGROUNDPrevious studies with animal experiments, autopsy, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and task-related functional MRI (fMRI) have confirmed that brain functional connectivity in addicts has become impaired. The goal of this study was to investigate the alteration of resting-state functional connectivity of the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) in the heroin abusers' brain.

METHODSFifteen heroin abusers and fifteen matched healthy volunteers were studied using vACC as the region-of interest (ROI) seed. A 3.0 T scanner with a standard head coil was the imagining apparatus. T2*-weighted gradient-echo planar imaging (GRE-EPI) was the scanning protocol. A ROI seed based correlation analysis used a SPM5 software package as the tool for all images processing.

RESULTSThis study showed a functional connection to the insula vACC in heroin abusers. Compared with controls, heroin users showed decreased functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and vACC, between the parahippocampala gyrus/amgdala (PHC/amygdala) and vACC, between the thalamus and vACC, and between the posterior cingulated cortex/precuneus (PCC/pC) and vACC.

CONCLUSIONThe altered resting-state functional connectivity to the vACC suggests the neural circuitry on which the addictive drug has an affect and reflects the dysfunction of the addictive brain.

Adult ; Female ; Gyrus Cinguli ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Heroin Dependence ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged