Pharmacological Interaction Between Carvedilol and Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

Substance-Related Disorders Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effects of Carvedilol on the Cardiovascular and Subjective Response to MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine, "Ecstasy")

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01270672
• Other study ID #: EK 218/10
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 2011
• Est. completion date: May 2011

Study information

• Verified date: December 2018
• Source: University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determinate the effect of a pre-treatment with carvedilol, a alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptor blocker, on the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "Ecstasy"). The investigators hypothesize that carvedilol will attenuate the cardiovascular and subjective response to MDMA.

Description:

3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") is widely used by young people for its euphoric effects. MDMA releases serotonin (5-HT), dopamine, and norepinephrine (NE). NE release is thought to mediate the cardiovascular effects of MDMA and may also contribute to its psychostimulant effects. However, the functional role of adrenergic postsynaptic receptors in the cardiovascular and subjective effects of MDMA in humans is largely unclear. To determine the role of alpha- and beta adrenergic receptors in the response to MDMA in humans the investigators test the effects of the alpha- and beta-receptor blocker carvedilol on the physiological and subjective effects of MDMA. The investigators use a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design with four experimental sessions. Carvedilol or placebo will be administered 1 h before MDMA or placebo to 16 healthy volunteers. Subjective and cardiovascular responses will be repeatedly assessed throughout the experiments and plasma samples are collected for pharmacokinetics. The primary hypothesis is that carvedilol will significantly reduce the blood pressure response to MDMA.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 16
• Est. completion date: May 2011
• Est. primary completion date: May 2011
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 45 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Sufficient understanding of the German language

• Subjects understand the procedures and the risks associated with the study

• Participants must be willing to adhere to the protocol and sign the consent form

• Participants must be willing to refrain from taking illicit psychoactive substances during the study.

• Participants must be willing to drink only alcohol-free liquids and no xanthine-containing liquids (such as coffee, black or green tea, red bull, chocolate) after midnight of the evening before the study session. Subjects must agree not to smoke tobacco for 1 h before and 4 hours after MDMA administration.

• Participants must be willing not to drive a traffic vehicle in the evening of the study day.

• Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test at the beginning of the study and must agree to use an effective form of birth control. Pregnancy tests are repeated before each study session.

• Body mass index: 18-25 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic or acute medical condition including clinically relevant abnormality in physical exam, laboratory values, or ECG. In particular: Hypertension (>140/90 mmHg). Personal or first-grade history of seizures. Cardiac or neurological disorder.

• Current or previous psychotic or affective disorder

• Psychotic or affective disorder in first-degree relatives

• Prior illicit drug use (except Tetrahydrocannabinol-containing products) more than 5 times or any time within the previous 2 months.

• Pregnant or nursing women.

• Participation in another clinical trial (currently or within the last 30 days)

• Use of medications that are contraindicated or otherwise interfere with the effects of the study medications (monoamine oxidase inhibitors, antidepressants, sedatives etc.)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Amphetamine-Related Disorders
• Disease
• Mood Disorder
• Mood Disorders
• Substance-Related Disorders

Intervention

Drug:
• 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
125 mg per os, single dose
• carvedilol
50 mg per os, single dose
• placebo
capsules identical to MDMA or carvedilol

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Switzerland	Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel	Basel

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Switzerland, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	Genetic polymorphisms	Effects of genetic polymorphisms on the response to MDMA	assessed after study completion
Primary	Effect of carvedilol on the blood pressure response to MDMA		24 h
Secondary	Effect of carvedilol on the subjective response to MDMA		24 h
Secondary	Effect of carvedilol on neuroendocrine effects of MDMA		7 h
Secondary	Effect of carvedilol on pharmacokinetics of MDMA		7 h