Vivitrol (Naltrexone) & Harmalas

[mauve]

I find it interesting I can't seem to find any topics related to naltrexone and harmalas. Naltrexone has a 28 day intramuscular injection sustained release formulation (vivitrol). Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist. It apparently also reduces cravings for most drugs especially drugs with downstream endorphin effects. It is given to opioid addicts and alcoholics primarily but it also shows decreased frequency of behaviors that release natural endorphins like overeating, masturbation, gambling, and kleptomania.

Naltrexone is active on its own but is metabolized in the liver by dihydrodiol dehydrogenases into 6β-naltrexol and 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy-6β-naltrexol and 2-hydroxy-3-methoxynaltrexone. Naltrexone isn't metabolized by the cytochrome p450 system and has a low potential for drug interaction.

I wonder, since ayahuasca can provide valuable insight and healing to those who have struggled with addiction and gone through residential treatment, intensive outpatient, etc. which is mainly concerned with healing trauma and implementing healthy lifestyle practices but it can't heal it all.. I wonder if after extensive therapy and healing and change has occured if ayahuasca is a viable tool to continue to dig deeper?

I gave a forward of some basic pharmacokinetics of naltrexone because many people especially alcoholics and opioid addicts start getting vivitrol injections monthly for months to years after completing treatment programs and were someone to stop the injections early in order to drink ayahuasca they also have a window where opioids would work and alcohol wouldn't be as sickening to consume and cravings and addictive behaviors may begin to resurface and a relapse could likely mean death as the addicts no longer have any tolerance to opioids and the quantity of fentanyl on the street only seems to be increasing. On the surface it appears like it could be safe in combination with ayahuasca.

I've been thinking about and researching this topic for some time now and figure I would put my inquiry out into the aether as I know some of you have access to resources I do not.

For those of you who are just curious but cannot view research papers because they are all behind fking paywalls... Sci-Hub: knowledge as a human right will help you get around many (not all)

 

[downwardsfromzero]

Hello and welcome (to your first post - that was a good bit of lurking, albeit not record-breaking :lol: )!

What a great question; I can't answer it directly as I'm not qualified to do so. It should be possible to scour the literature for information about any other possible metabolic crossover points, and whether the opioid antagonist effects of naltrexone lead to any unfavourable neurotransmitter release, or reuptake or metabolic inhibition thereof.

There's plenty of room here to discuss the methods and techniques outside of psychoplastogenic intervention as well; how can people change if their social situation does not change, for example? There's a good few members who may well have considerable insight to share regarding these matters. Is it something that affects you personally, if I may ask?


Some of us here may well have cultivated a love of websites that promote open access to scientific information Sadly, I hear some are under direct threat. One can but live in hope that they weather the storm once more.

 

[mauve]

There appears to be somewhat substantial neuroendocrine regulation mediated through the Mu-opioid receptor.

MOR agonists produce increases in levels of prolactin and decreases in levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone.[4] Doses of naltrexone of 25 to 150 mg/day have been found to produce significant increases in levels of β-endorphin, cortisol, and LH, equivocal changes in levels of prolactin and testosterone, and no significant changes in levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). In addition to the opioid receptors, naltrexone binds to and acts as an antagonist of the opioid growth factor receptor (OGFR) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and interacts with high- and low-affinity binding sites in filamin A (FLNA). It is said that very low doses of naltrexone (<0.001–1 mg/day) interact with FLNA, low doses (1 to 5 mg/day) produce TLR4 antagonism, and standard clinical doses (50 to 100 mg/day) exert opioid receptor and OGFR antagonism. The interactions of naltrexone with FLNA and TLR4 are claimed to be involved in the therapeutic effects of low-dose naltrexone.

I agree completely that it is very difficult to change without a change in the social environment. Personally yes, I have personally struggled with opioid dependence. What helped me out of it was 1) a social change and entire revamping of day-to-day life 2) healing of trauma that was ultimately the root of my dependency & 3) a temporary pharmacological solution to give myself the space to truly implement the social change and daily schedule while emotional turmoil from the past bubbled up to the surface and I had to consciously be willing to look at it.

 

[mauve]

I've been doing a lot of research on possible interactions between harmalas and naltrexone. I am on the vivitrol shot and my health insurance deductible has been met so I am going to go get a full blood panel done. Look at all major organs, hormones, vitamins, minerals, inflammatory markers, etc.. Then I am going to schedule another full blood panel and I am thinking of consuming a moderate dose harmala alkaloids either through sublingual, oral, or vaporized routes (after a trial "interaction test" of course) the day before the second blood screening.

And posting the results here.

What do you guys think? Is there something I am missing that screams "DANGER!" ?
I don't think so but I'm once again going to put this out into the aether a few weeks in advance before I get the initial "baseline" screening done.

I think I will likely start a simple daily journal practice of foods and supplements consumed, exercise, and sleep times a week before the initial "baseline" screening. I will also take notes afterwards up until the secondary "test" screening.

I know it isn't rigorous science but I think it provides reasonable anecdotal evidence to suggest some semblance of a safety profile.

Are there thinking errors in the above thread? What do you think O wise nexians?

 

[downwardsfromzero]

Sounds like you've got the right idea for a sensible approach. Your meticulous record keeping will be a good practice in itself.

Start low with the harmalas and work your way up gently.

Wishing you luck :thumb_up:

 

[mauve]

Thanks. I trust your opinion.

Now that my experiment is peer reviewed, I can proceed knowing my train of thought is logical and thorough.

I will begin taking notes today.

:thumb_up: