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CompletedNCT01030692Updated Jan 27, 2015

Rivastigmine and Huperzine A as Treatments for Cocaine Dependence

A Phase 1 interventional study of Placebo and Rivastigmine 3 mg in Cocaine Dependence, Cocaine Addiction and Cocaine Abuse, sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 55 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-01-27.

Sponsored by Baylor College of Medicine · Phase 1 and Interventional

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
72
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 55 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety and effects of rivastigmine and huperzine A (HupA), potential treatments for cocaine abuse, when used before experimental administration of cocaine, on a number of physical and psychological measures.

Read the detailed description

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the interactions between cocaine and oral rivastigmine and between cocaine and oral huperzine A (HupA).

The following Specific Aims are proposed: 1. Among cocaine-dependent, non-treatment seeking participants, to establish the ability of rivastigmine (3 or 6 mg, daily) or HupA (0.4 or 0.8 mg, daily), as compared to placebo, to reduce cocaine-induced craving (0, 20, and 40 mg, IV) and to reduce reinforcing effects produced by cocaine (20 mg, IV/infusion). Hypothesis. Relative to placebo-treated participants, treatment with rivastigmine or HupA will reduce cocaine-induced craving and choices for cocaine.

  1. To determine the safety of rivastigmine and HupA in cocaine-dependent participants who receive cocaine in a laboratory setting. Hypothesis 2A. Relative to placebo-treated participants, treatment with rivastigmine or HupA will not increase the adverse events produced by cocaine. Hypothesis 2B. Relative to placebo-treated participants, treatment with rivastigmine or HupA will reduce cocaine-induced increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
  1. To determine the effects of AChE inhibition on plasma levels of cocaine and cocaine metabolites. Hypothesis 3A. Relative to placebo-treated participants, treatment with rivastigmine, but not HupA, will be associated with increased plasma levels of cocaine. Hypothesis 3B. Relative to placebo-treated participants, treatment with rivastigmine, but not HupA, will be associated with increased formation of ecgonine and benzoylecgonine, and decreased formation of ecgonine methylester.
  1. a) provide a more frequent measure of heart rate (15 sec vs. 5 minutes) and b) measure a new dependent variable, physical activity, on days with and without cocaine exposure.

Public Health Significance: Cocaine abuse is an important health problem that is associated with serious medical, psychiatric, social, and economic consequences. No medications are currently available for prevention of relapse in patients who are addicted to cocaine, and compounds such as rivastigmine and HupA are predicted to be useful for this indication. The testing of HupA is particularly exciting since it has antioxidant and neuroprotective properties that may also contribute to its efficacy as a treatment medication for cocaine dependence.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cocaine Dependence
  • Cocaine Addiction
  • Cocaine Abuse
  • Substance Abuse

Keywords

  • Cocaine
  • Rivastigmine
  • Huperzine A
03

In context

Substance-Related Disorders

2,124 studies on the registry are indexed under Substance-Related Disorders; 393 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 72 is below the median of 108 across 1,727 interventional studies indexed under Substance-Related Disorders.

Browse Substance-Related Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

Baylor College of Medicine is the lead sponsor of 734 studies on the registry; 110 are open to participants now.

Of its 83 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 44 (53%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 55 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Be a cocaine-dependent volunteer who is non-treatment-seeking
  • Meets DSM-IV criteria for cocaine dependence as determined by SCID, and has provided at least one cocaine-positive urine specimen within the 2 weeks prior to enrollment
  • Be male or female, between 18 and 55 years old
  • Be able to verbalize understanding of consent form, able to provide written informed consent, and verbalize willingness to complete study procedures
  • Female subjects must be non-nursing and postmenopausal, have had a hysterectomy, undergone tubal ligation, or have a negative pregnancy test and agree to use one of the birth control methods below
  • Agreeable to conditions of the study and likely to complete schedule of interventions and measures
  • Has medical history, physical exam, and screening laboratory results that demonstrate no contraindication to participation

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Has a history of a medical adverse reaction to cocaine or other psychostimulants, including loss of consciousness, chest pain, cardiac ischemia, or seizure
  • Has a current psychiatric disorder other than cocaine abuse or dependence, including major depression, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia, organic brain disease, or dementia
  • Meets DSM-IV criteria for dependence to opiates, benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other sedative-hypnotics
  • Receiving opiate-substitution therapy (methadone, LAAM, or buprenorphine) within 2 mo's of enrollment
  • Has a current or past history of seizure disorder, including alcohol- or psychostimulant- related seizures, febrile seizures, or family history of seizure disorder
  • Has a diagnosis of adult (i.e., 21 years or older) asthma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including a history of acute asthma within the past two years, and those with current or recent (with the past two years) treatment with an inhaled or oral b-adrenergic agonist
  • Has had head trauma that resulted in neurological sequelae (e.g., loss of memory for greater than 5 min or that required hospitalization)
  • Has an unstable medical condition, which, in the judgment of investigators, would make participation hazardous, including, but not limited to, AIDS, acute hepatitis, active TB, unstable cardiac disease, unstable diabetes, hepatic or renal insufficiency (serum bilirubin or creatinine exceeding 1.5 the upper limit of normal, respectively)
  • Be pregnant or lactating (nursing), or a fertile woman not practicing adequate methods of contraception or planning to become pregnant within one month of conclusion of the study
  • Has current suicidal ideation or plan as assessed by SCID or MINI interview
  • Has clinically significant ECG abnormalities, including QTc interval prolongation >450 ms in men or >480 ms in women
  • In the opinion of the PI, be expected to fail to complete the study protocol due to probable incarceration or relocation from the clinic area
  • Has clinically significant laboratory values (outside of normal limits), in the judgment of the PI
  • Is on parole, probation or has any legal obligations
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
72 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Placebo comparator
    Placebo

    Placebo capsules as control

    Drug: Placebo

  • Active comparator
    Rivastigmine 3 mg

    Rivastigmine 3 mg

    Drug: Rivastigmine 3 mg

  • Active comparator
    Rivastigmine 6 mg

    Rivastigmine 6 mg

    Drug: Rivastigmine 6 mg

  • Active comparator
    Huperzine A 0.4 mg

    Huperzine A 0.4 mg

    Drug: Huperzine A 0.4 mg

  • Active comparator
    Huperzine A 0.8 mg

    Huperzine A 0.8 mg

    Drug: Huperzine A 0.8 mg

Interventions

  • DrugPlacebo

    The placebo groups will receive the same dosage throughout the study.

    Also known as: Sugar pill

  • DrugRivastigmine 3 mg

    The 3 mg rivastigmine group will receive 3 mg rivastigmine only in the evening of Day 1, 3 mg in the morning and 0 mg in the evening of Days 2-9, and 3 mg in the morning of Day 10.

    Also known as: Exelon

  • DrugHuperzine A 0.4 mg

    The 0.4 mg HupA group will receive 0.2 mg HupA only in the evening of Day 1, 0.2 mg in the morning and evening of Days 2-9, and 0.2 mg in the morning of day 10.

    Also known as: Huperzine

  • DrugRivastigmine 6 mg

    The 6 mg rivastigmine group will receive 3 mg rivastigmine only in the evening of Day 1, 3 mg in the morning and 0 mg in the evening of Days 2-5, 3 mg in the morning and evening of Days 6-9, and 3 mg in the morning of Day 10.

    Also known as: Exelon

  • DrugHuperzine A 0.8 mg

    The 0.8 mg HupA group will receive 0.2 mg HupA only in the evening of Day 1, 0.2 mg in the morning and evening of Days 2-5, 0.4 mg in the morning and evening of Days 6-9, and 0.4 mg in the morning of Day 10.

    Also known as: Huperzine

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The effects of rivastigmine or huperzine A and cocaine on cardiovascular measures

    Before and after each cocaine infusion, physiologic responses will be closely monitored using repeated HR, BP, and ECG readings. To evaluate safety, a DSMB will meet annually and following any serious AE to examine data as well as any new published information on rivastigmine or HupA relevant to the project. The number of AEs (including arrhythmias and ECG changes), changes in BP and HR, changes in cocaine PKs, and changes in mood and psychiatric symptoms (using the BSI, BDI, POMS, and BPRS) will also be assessed throughout the study.

    Time frame: 10 days

Secondary outcomes

  1. The effects of rivastigmine or huperzine A and cocaine on subjective measures

    The ability of rivastigmine (3 or 6 mg, daily) or HupA (0.4 or 0.8 mg, daily), as compared to placebo, to reduce cocaine-induced craving (0, 20, and 40 mg, IV) and to reduce reinforcing effects produced by cocaine (20 mg, IV/infusion) will be measured by: 1. VAS, Adjective Scales, and MCQ; 2. Choices for cocaine vs. money in the self-administration assay.

    Time frame: 10 days

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 27, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01030692
Lead sponsor
Baylor College of Medicine
Collaborators
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Responsible party
Richard De La Garza (Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 11, 2009
Start date
Jan 2009
Primary completion
Jun 2014
Completion
Jun 2014
Last update
Jan 27, 2015

Study contacts

Richard De La Garza, II, PhD
principal investigator · Baylor College of Medicine

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2015. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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