Dextromethorphan diminishes methamphetamine's effects

Dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant found in Robitussin-DM and Mucinex-DM and binds to a number of sites in the brain related to drug abuse and dependence, including opioid receptors, sigma receptors, glutamate receptors and neurotransmitter transporters.  Pao-Pao Yang and colleagues recently published a research article in the journal Synapse indicating that dextromethorphan could be a treatment for craving for methamphetamine craving.  In their experiment, dextromethorphan microinjection into brain regions associated with drug abuse and dependence (the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area) decreased methamphetamine-seeking during a methamphetamine withdrawal period.

Reference - Yang PP et al (2012) Post-treatment of dextromethorphan on methamphetamine-induced drug-seeking and behavioral sensitization in rats. Synapse

Modafinil for the treatment of methamphetamine abuse?

In a recent  article in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Ann L. Anderson and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of the psychostimulant modafinil as a treatment for methamphetamine abuse. This was a relatively-large study of patients dependent on methamphetamine who received (double-blind design) modafinil (200 or 400 mg) or placebo over twelve weeks.  Despite the animal research that suggests that modafinil could block or replace methamphetamine's "addictive" effects, there was no significant impact of modafinil treatment on methamphetamine use in these patients.  The authors suggest a problem was that the patients did not comply with the modafinil treatment regimen.

Reference - Modafinil for the Treatment of Methamphetamine Dependence, A.L. Anderson, et. al. (2012) Drug & Alcohol Dependence 120: 135.