Butyrylcholinesterase levels and subjective effects of smoked cocaine in healthy cocaine users

Abstract

Background: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is beginning to attract attention as a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment because of its role in metabolizing cocaine. Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to assess whether endogenous BChE levels are associated with the subjective effects of cocaine. Methods: Data from 28 participants in five inpatient cocaine self-administration studies were included in the present analysis. Four minutes after each smoked cocaine dose, participants rated their drug-related effects from 0–100 using a computerized self-report Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The main outcome measures were nine change-in-VAS ratings between a baseline placebo dose and a 25-mg smoked cocaine dose. Results: After controlling for age, sex, total years of cocaine use, total milligrams of cocaine administered before the 25-mg dose being analyzed, and baseline diastolic blood pressure, endogenous BChE was not significantly associated with any of the nine change-in-VAS ratings. Conclusion: Though BChE appears to be a possible target for cocaine abuse treatment, these data suggest that endogenous levels of BChE may not play a role in modifying the subjective effects of cocaine. Future larger studies of BChE in respect to the subjective effects produced by cocaine are needed to confirm or refute these findings.

• Butyrylcholinesterase
• cocaine
• pseudocholinesterase
• subjective effects

Acknowledgements

Dr Kalapatapu is currently funded by K23DA034883. Dr Foltin is currently funded by K05DA031749, R01DA021319, and R01DA029618. Dr Comer is currently funded by P50DA09236, R01DA016759 and R01DA031022.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.