MONOAMINE METABOLITES IN LUMBAR CEREBROSPINAL FLUID AND URINE IN ALCOHOLIC PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER TREATMENT WITH DISULFIRAM

摘要

Fifteen male alcoholic inpatients were treated with 400 mg disulfiram per day for one week. The levels of HVA, MOPEG and 5-HIAA (major metabolites of dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin respectively) in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid and urine were determined before and after the treatment period. No significant differences were found between the levels of the metabolites in the CSF on the first and second sampling occasions. There was a high correlation between individual MOPEG levels on the two sampling occasions but not for HVA and 5-HIAA. The levels of HVA, MOPEG and 5-HIAA in the urine increased among the drug-free patients, while those receiving small amounts of oxazepam for insomnia showed no changes in those levels.At the most there is a minor interaction between monamines, disulliram and benzodiazepine metabolism. The absence of appreciable effects re-emphasises the importance of blocking of aldehyde dehydrogenase by disulfiram as the main mechanism by which the drug acts under conditions of clinical use.