The Use of Gabapentin for the Treatment of Alcohol and Tobacco Use Disorders: A Review

Abstract

Background: Alcohol and tobacco use disorders are pervasive health problems without adequate treatment. Gabapentin has been used for different psychiatric disorders, including addiction. Methods: In this article, the use of gabapentin for the treatment of alcohol and tobacco use disorders is reviewed. Accordingly, a database search of PubMed was performed (January 1, 1983–August 31, 2017), using the search terms “gabapentin” AND “alcohol” OR “tobacco”. Animal and human studies written in English were included. A total of 426 records were identified, and 40 articles met eligibility criteria and were included in this review. The main reasons for exclusion were gabapentin was not the intervention of interest or the study population did not have alcohol/tobacco abuse issues. Additionally, 28 references were included in the Introduction, for a total of 68 references. The success of gabapentin for treating alcohol/tobacco use problems was determined by calculating the success rate across studies: the total number of investigations with favorable results was divided by the total numbers of investigations for each specific disorder (eg, alcohol or tobacco dependence, or other). Results and Discussion: The available evidence on gabapentin for alcohol use disorder suggests that this treatment successfully alleviates problems related to alcohol abuse, including withdrawal symptoms, dependence, and cravings. However, more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of gabapentin for preventing relapse. Further, more data are required before a conclusion regarding gabapentin’s effectiveness for treating tobacco dependence.