Alleviation of drug withdrawal symptoms by treatment with a potent mixture of natural lipids.

Acute treatment with morphine, as well as with other addictives, causes an initial decrease in brain membrane lipid microviscosity. Upon chronic exposure to the addictive drug, the original fluidity of brain membranes is restored, mostly due to an increase in the cholesterol content. Withdrawal of the drug leaves the membranes hyperviscous and the central nervous system supersensitive, as manifested in the abstinence syndrome. Based on this scheme of events, we have designed treatments of addicted mice with a special lipid mixture extracted from hen egg-yolk (Active-lipid, AL), which is a highly potent membrane fluidizer. In vivo treatment of morphine-addicted mice with AL, either by injection or as a diet supplement, reversed the brain membrane hyperviscosity and, concomitantly, markedly reduced, or even completely abolished the withdrawal symptoms precipitated by naloxone. Treatments with the fully saturated, rigidifying phospholipid dipalmitoyl-lecithin, exacerbated the withdrawal symptoms. These results could be the basis for a novel innocuous treatment which may facilitate the rehabilitation of drug and alcohol addicts.