This heart medication can be a potential drug to combat alcohol use disorder

According to new government-led research released this week, a familiar blood pressure and heart medication may get a second chance as a treatment for alcohol consumption disorder. The medicine spironolactone has been shown in the study to lessen people's desire for and consumption of alcohol in both rodents and humans. Since its discovery in the late 1950s, spironolactone has been a staple in the medicine cabinet. It is a particular class of steroid that is mostly utilized for its diuretic action, which causes the loss of water and sodium through increased urine production. It has long been used to lessen the likelihood of subsequent serious problems by reducing fluid accumulation brought on by illnesses including heart failure and kidney disease. It is also frequently used in conjunction with other medications to treat high blood pressure. Over time, it has become clear that spironolactone is helpful for conditions other than those listed in these indications. For example, it's occasionally used to treat acne in women since it can limit the development of androgen hormones connected to excessive oil production (in men, though, it generates low testosterone levels that aren't worth the adverse effects). Additionally, some studies are beginning to suggest that the receptors that spironolactone inhibits may contribute to people's alcohol use. If so, the medication may benefit those with alcohol use disorder, a chronic condition with few effective treatments. The National Institutes of Health decided to explore the drug's effects on mice and rats that were induced to become intoxicated or dependent on alcohol in order to better grasp its potential. They discovered that raising spironolactone dosages resulted in correspondingly lower levels of alcohol intake in both male and female mice, without any potential side effects such as a decreased desire for food and water.