Baclofen (brand name Lioresol, or something close to that) is a muscle relaxant that acts on the GABA-B receptors. From what I've read, there is abuse potential. I have never heard of this drug being sold illicitly or even heard of it being prescribed. I'm curious to know what the drug's subjective effects are exactly, whether there is abuse potential or not. Any information would be cool!
It is a strong drug, used in the treatment of spine injury, MS, and other nerve and muscle ailments. Know several people that uses Baclofen, some by pills and others by spinal implant pumps. It does harm the liver over a course of years. I have seen people abuse it with bad results. Since it is a relaxant, heart damage is possible. I wouldn't take it!!
I was searching for information on this subject and I found some interesting information that might help you understand the abuse potental of Baclofen.
Also, just for the future, the brand name is Lioresal, you were VERY close!
Baclofen, is a GABA-B receptor agonist (which you already mentioned) that is used to alleviate the signs and symptoms of muscle spasticity from Multiple Sclerosis. It is thought to inhibit transmission of reflexes at the spinal cord level. Off-label uses of Baclofen include treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, tardive dyskinesia and intractable hiccups.
...this is some information that might suprise you, or maybe not.
In alcohol and opiate withdrawal, one can see a heightened level of vital signs and a highly excitable state. With agonist properties similar to an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it is hoped that Baclofen will reverse some of the signs and symptoms of withdrawal in the alcohol and opiate dependent patient.
Initial alcohol research has found that Baclofen can reduce voluntary intake of alcohol by rats, decrease alcohol craving and alcohol withdrawal syndrome intensity in alcohol dependent patients ( Am J of Med 2002 - a small study using 10mg as an initial dose and 10mg every 8 hours for 30 days in 5 patients).
In opiate research, Baclofen was tested in comparison to Clonidine for treatment of opiate withdrawal. Presented in the J Clin Pharm Ther (2001), 62 opiate dependent patients were treated with either Baclofen or Clonidine for a 14-day, double blind trial. Maximum doses of Baclofen were 40mg per day and 0.8 mg of Clonidine per day (This appears to be a fairly low dose for opiate withdrawal treatment). The findings showed no significant difference between the two groups as to retention in treatment or side - effects, though the Clonidine group had more problems with hypotension.
There is also research using Baclofen for cocaine dependence, looking at the GABA modulation of cocaine self-administration and Baclofen's ability to reduce this. As published in the Dec. 15 edition of the peer-reviewed Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the randomized, double-blind study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse as part of a project to screen medications with potential for treating cocaine dependence, found that Baclofen used in conjunction with substance abuse counseling significantly reduced cocaine use in recovering addicts compared to placebo coupled with counseling.
I couldn't find too much information on actully abusing Baclofen itself nor could I find any experience reports, but I did notice that withdrawl from Baclofen can have extremely unpleasent and damageing effects to patients. With Abrupt Withdrawl, hallucinations and seizures have occurred. Therefore, except for serious adverse reactions, the dose should be reduced very slowly before this medication is discontinued.
Other withdrawl effects of intrathecal baclofen can Include:high fever, altered mental status, exaggerated rebound spasticity and muscle rigidity that in rare cases progressed to rhabdomyolysis, multiple organ-system failure, and death.
In the first 9 years of post-marketing experience, 27 cases of withdrawal temporally related to the cessation of baclofen therapy were reported; six patients died. In most cases, symptoms of withdrawl appeared within hours to a few days following interruption of baclofen therapy. Common reasons for abrupt interruption of intrathecal baclofen therapy included malfunction of the catheter, low volume in the pump reservoir, and end of pump battery life; also, human error may have played a causal or contributing role in some cases.
Swim has tried this drug and was not impressed at all.He just simply got very drowsy and woke up finding it difficult to get out of bed and with a pretty bad headache and nausea.
21-01-2006, 09:38
baclofen
This is the chemical structure of Baclofen.
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