Acamprosate is a drug used for helping patients recover from alcohol addictions. It is a synthetic amino acid as well as a neurotransmitter analogue. It’s used as a deterrent from alcohol and helps to minimise dependency.
Whilst there have been some information linking the drug to liver injury in therapy, there have been no clinical studies to prove this link. As of this writing, clinics that use it in healthy doses experience no problems with acute liver injury. Clinical studies have also not linked it with serum enzyme elevations.
Hepatotoxicity Levels
Using standard serum, enzyme elevation rates encountered within safe placebo therapy, studies have been carried out on the hepatotoxicity levels when staff members use Acamprosate. The results revealed there have been no increases in enzyme elevations during use of this drug.
Currently, the drug is in wide use across alcohol addiction clinics and there have been no reported problems directly as a result of Acamprosate use.
Mechanism
The synthetic amino acid, when ingested, travels directly to the liver where it is metabolised. After completing the metabolising process the remains of the Acamprosate traverses the urinary tract until it disappears via urination. It helps to reduce alcohol dependency because of the impact it has on the liver. It follows very much the same process as alcohol except that it doesn’t cause any damage to the liver. This allows the patient to recover from their withdrawal symptoms and continue with their comprehensive alcohol programme.
Use in Clinics
Clinics normally use a dose of 666mg three times each day, if prescribed. It is manufactured for patients who have issues with avoiding alcohol and who need the help of Acamprosate to avoid relapsing. It is only prescribed when following a comprehensive alcohol treatment regime. It does have some minor side effects like flatulence, dizziness, and nausea, but it causes no long-term health effects.
