Metronidazole in the Treatment of Alcoholism: A Negative Report
DONALD W. GOODWIN M.D.1
1 Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes and Renard Hospitals, 4940 Audubon Avenue, St. Louis, Mo. 63110
The present study was an attempt to confirm Taylor's observations that metronidazole reduces the desire of alcoholics to drink and produces disulfiram-like reactions to alcohol. Neither observation was confirmed.
Of 12 "good prognosis" alcoholics receiving metronidazole as outpatients, eight resumed heavy drinking within six weeks. Two of the remaining four patients stopped the drug because of apparent side effects and the other two, although abstinent on the drug for four months, remained sober on placebo and were unable to distinguish drug from placebo.
Disulfiram-like reactions, when reported, were equivocal and in one patient persisted on placebo.
