Butyrylcholinesterase levels and subjective effects of smoked cocaine in healthy cocaine users

Abstract Background: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is beginning to attract attention as a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment because of its role in metabolizing cocaine. Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether endogenous BChE levels are associated with the subjective ef...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse 2015-03, Vol.41 (2), p.161-165
Main Authors: Askalsky, Paula, Kalapatapu, Raj K., Foltin, Richard W., Comer, Sandra D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Inhalation
Adult
Blood Pressure
Blood Pressure - drug effects
Butyrylcholinesterase
Butyrylcholinesterase - blood
Cocaine
Cocaine - administration & dosage
Cocaine-Related Disorders - blood
Drug Abuse
Drug dosages
Drug Users
Female
Humans
Male
Metabolism
Middle Aged
pseudocholinesterase
Smoking
subjective effects
Substance abuse treatment
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Summary:Abstract Background: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is beginning to attract attention as a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment because of its role in metabolizing cocaine. Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether endogenous BChE levels are associated with the subjective effects of cocaine. Methods: Data from 28 participants in five inpatient cocaine self-administration studies were included in the present analysis. Four minutes after each smoked cocaine dose, participants rated their drug-related effects from 0-100 using a computerized self-report Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The main outcome measures were nine change-in-VAS ratings between a baseline placebo dose and a 25-mg smoked cocaine dose. Results: After controlling for age, sex, total years of cocaine use, total milligrams of cocaine administered before the 25-mg dose being analyzed, and baseline diastolic blood pressure, endogenous BChE was not significantly associated with any of the nine change-in-VAS ratings. Conclusion: Though BChE appears to be a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment, these data suggest that endogenous levels of BChE may not play a role in modifying the subjective effects of cocaine. Future larger studies of BChE in respect to the subjective effects produced by cocaine are needed to confirm or refute these findings.
ISSN:0095-2990
1097-9891
DOI:10.3109/00952990.2014.966197