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An FDA-approved psoriasis drug turns help those addicted to alcohol turn the corner. That drug is apremilast, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor sold under the brand name Otezla.

Preclinical testing of the drug at San Diego’s Scripps Research Institute using mouse lines that are prone to over consume alcohol shows that apemilast not only reduces craving for the drink but also lessens a characteristic accompanying heightened pain sensitivity known as mechanical allodynia. These beneficial effects occurred in both female and male mice.

Seeking to explain the drug’s effects, the investigators found that apemilast increases signaling by the amino acid neurotransmitter GABA, gamma-aminobutyric acid. GABA is known to slow down and calm brain activity thereby reducing stress, anxiety and fear. This drug is already FDA-approved for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis nd that’s a plus for getting it into the clinic for curbing alcoholism.

The next step will be clinical trials of apemilast. Once completed, this drug may well help those with alcohol use disorder kick the habit and suppress the heightened pain response that accompanies it.

https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/189732

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250422155830.htm

#apremilast #otezla #alcohol #aud #pain

Repurposed Drug Curbs Alcohol Cravings And Pain

Dr. Howard Smith Reports