Intranasal oxytocin blocks alcohol withdrawal in human subjects.

Pedersen CA, Smedley KL, Leserman J, Jarskog LF, Rau SW, Kampov-Polevoi A, Casey RL, Fender T, Garbutt JC

Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research1 Oct 2012Cited by 164 (Europe PMC)

PMID23025690PMCIDPMC3557665DOI10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01958.xPepBankPUB-23025690

Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study6

6 results from studies that gave the peptide. 6 results from people.

01HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In alcohol-dependent adults in detoxification, intranasal oxytocin reduced the total lorazepam needed compared with placebo.
In plain wordsIn alcohol-dependent adults in detox, oxytocin spray cut the lorazepam needed compared with placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseTotal lorazepam required for detoxification
Study
n = 11
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU/dose twice daily · intranasal · 3 daysAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Total lorazepam
3.4 mg
oxytocin
Total lorazepam
16.5 mg
placebo
Source sentences
Summary
OT was superior to placebo in reducing alcohol withdrawal as evidenced by: less total lorazepam required to complete detoxification (3.4 mg [4.7, SD] vs. 16.5 [4.4], p = 0.0015)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) or placebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a research unit for medical detoxification using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score-driven PRN…
Report a problemFND-2302569001
02HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In alcohol-dependent adults in detoxification, intranasal oxytocin lowered mean CIWA scores on admission day 1 versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn alcohol-dependent adults in detox, oxytocin spray gave lower withdrawal scores on day 1 than placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseCIWA score on admission day 1
Study
n = 11
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU/dose twice daily · intranasal · 3 daysAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Mean CIWA score
4.3 score
oxytocin, day 1
Mean CIWA score
11.8 score
placebo, day 1
Source sentences
Summary
lower mean CIWA scores on admission day 1 (4.3 [2.3] vs. 11.8 [0.4], p < 0.0001)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) or placebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a research unit for medical detoxification using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score-driven PRN…
Report a problemFND-2302569002
03HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In alcohol-dependent adults in detoxification, intranasal oxytocin lowered mean CIWA scores on day 2 versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn alcohol-dependent adults in detox, oxytocin spray gave lower withdrawal scores on day 2 than placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseCIWA score on admission day 2
Study
n = 11
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU/dose twice daily · intranasal · 3 daysAs given in this study (human).
Measurements
Mean CIWA score
3.4 score
oxytocin, day 2
Mean CIWA score
11.1 score
placebo, day 2
Source sentences
Summary
day 2 (3.4 [2.2] vs. 11.1 [3.6], p < 0.002)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) or placebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a research unit for medical detoxification using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score-driven PRN…
Report a problemFND-2302569003
04HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In alcohol-dependent adults in detoxification, intranasal oxytocin lowered self-rated AWSC scores on day 1 versus placebo (p < 0.02); the day 2 difference was not significant (p = 0.07).
In plain wordsIn alcohol-dependent adults in detox, oxytocin spray gave lower self-rated withdrawal scores than placebo on day 1, but not clearly on day 2.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
MixedAlcohol Withdrawal Symptom Checklist (AWSC) score
Study
n = 11
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU/dose twice daily · intranasal · 3 daysAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
lower AWSC scores on days 1 and 2 (p < 0.02; p = 0.07)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) or placebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a research unit for medical detoxification using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score-driven PRN…
Report a problemFND-2302569004
05HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In alcohol-dependent adults in detoxification, intranasal oxytocin lowered Alcohol Craving Visual Analog Scale ratings versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn alcohol-dependent adults in detox, oxytocin spray gave lower craving ratings than placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreaseAlcohol craving (ACVAS rating)
Study
n = 11
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Addiction, withdrawal and alcohol intake · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU/dose twice daily · intranasal · 3 daysAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
lower ACVAS ratings (p = 0.01)
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) or placebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a research unit for medical detoxification using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score-driven PRN…
Report a problemFND-2302569005
06HumanRandomized controlled trialEfficacy outcome
In alcohol-dependent adults in detoxification, intranasal oxytocin lowered POMS Tension/Anxiety subscale scores on day 2 versus placebo.
In plain wordsIn alcohol-dependent adults in detox, oxytocin spray gave lower tension and anxiety scores on day 2 than placebo.
Peptide
Oxytocin
Outcome
DecreasePOMS Tension/Anxiety score on day 2
Study
n = 11
Comparator
Placebo
Outcome group
Anxiety and mood · Mental health and mood
Studied dose
24 IU/dose twice daily · intranasal · 3 daysAs given in this study (human).
Source sentences
Summary
lower POMS Tension/Anxiety subscale scores on day 2 (p < 0.01).
1 context sentence(design, population, supporting numbers)
Summary · context
In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) or placebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a research unit for medical detoxification using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA) score-driven PRN…
Report a problemFND-2302569006

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Registered trials1

Trials this study reports on, or that list this study as a reference. Registry data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

1 trial · 1 stopped early · source ClinicalTrials.gov (opens in a new tab)

WithdrawnPhase 1NCT02711189

Oxytocin in Alcohol Use Disorder

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)n = 08 Mar 2016 to 22 Feb 2019

Alcoholism

Trial page ClinicalTrials.govUpdated 11 Apr 2019

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

Version 2Current
11 Oct 2026, 01:30 UTC
Study results updated
Version 1
9 Oct 2026, 02:50 UTC
First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

Publication types

MeSH terms

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