A medication already approved for treating inflammatory diseases may one day help people who struggle with alcohol addiction and chronic pain, according to new research from scientists at Scripps Research.
The study, published in JCI Insight, found that the drug apremilast reduced alcohol drinking and eased pain-related symptoms in laboratory animals.
The findings are important because alcohol use disorder and chronic pain often occur together, creating a difficult cycle that can make recovery much harder.
Alcohol use disorder, often called AUD, is a medical condition in which a person has difficulty controlling or stopping alcohol use despite harmful consequences.
According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of millions of people around the world are affected by the condition. AUD can damage physical health, mental wellbeing, relationships, and quality of life.
One challenge faced by many people with AUD is chronic pain. Some people develop pain conditions after years of heavy drinking, while others experience increased pain during alcohol withdrawal. This discomfort can become so severe that it contributes to relapse, making it harder for people to stay alcohol-free.
Despite this connection, pain is not always a major focus of alcohol addiction treatment. Researchers believe that finding therapies that address both alcohol use and pain could significantly improve recovery outcomes.
The drug investigated in the new study is called apremilast. It is already approved for treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, which are long-term inflammatory diseases. Apremilast works by blocking an enzyme known as phosphodiesterase-4, or PDE4. This enzyme helps regulate inflammation in the body.
Previous studies had already suggested that apremilast could reduce alcohol consumption in both animals and humans. The new research explored whether the medication could also help reduce pain that often accompanies alcohol dependence and withdrawal.
To investigate, scientists conducted experiments using two different types of rats. One strain was genetically more likely to consume alcohol, while the other represented a standard laboratory strain commonly used in research.
The animals were given access to alcohol and then treated with either apremilast or a placebo. Researchers carefully monitored both alcohol consumption and sensitivity to pain.
The results were encouraging. Rats that received apremilast drank less alcohol than those given the placebo. They also showed lower sensitivity to pain. Importantly, these benefits continued even after alcohol was removed. Some positive effects remained for as long as four weeks following alcohol withdrawal.
The researchers also discovered that the medication did not affect all animals in exactly the same way. In some situations, male rats experienced less pain relief than female rats. This finding suggests that biological sex may influence how well the treatment works.
Genetics also appeared to play an important role. When researchers examined the animals’ brains, they found that apremilast increased a type of brain communication known as GABAergic transmission in the central amygdala, a region involved in both addiction and pain processing.
Interestingly, this brain effect was observed in only one of the rat strains. This suggests that genetic differences may affect how individuals respond to the medication.
The study also found evidence linking inflammation, alcohol use, and pain. Rats exposed to alcohol showed higher levels of PDE4-related genes in their brains. This supports the idea that inflammation-related pathways may contribute to both alcohol dependence and pain sensitivity.
Because apremilast already has regulatory approval for other conditions, researchers are particularly interested in its potential for repurposing. Developing a completely new drug can take many years and cost enormous amounts of money. Using an existing medication with a known safety profile could potentially speed up the development of new treatments.
However, the researchers emphasize that these findings are still preliminary. The study was conducted in animals, not people. Clinical trials will be needed to determine whether apremilast can safely and effectively reduce alcohol use and pain in humans.
The research team is also interested in studying whether the drug may help with anxiety and emotional distress during alcohol withdrawal. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons people return to drinking after trying to quit. A treatment that targets alcohol use, pain, and anxiety at the same time could provide significant benefits for many patients.
The findings highlight the importance of treating addiction as a complex condition that affects both the body and the mind. Rather than focusing only on alcohol consumption, future therapies may need to address pain, inflammation, emotional wellbeing, and other factors that influence recovery.
While more research is required, this study offers promising evidence that apremilast could become a valuable new tool for helping people overcome alcohol dependence and improve their quality of life.
If you care about inflammation, please read studies about turmeric: nature’s golden answer to inflammation, and what to eat to reduce chronic Inflammation.
For more health information, please see recent studies about how a plant-based diet could help ease inflammation ,and Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased inflammation.
The research was published in JCI Insight.
