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Home/Research/Ketamine/Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

Ketamine for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

6 papers and 11 clinical trials exploring ketamine as a treatment for opioid use disorder (oud).

CompoundArylcyclohexylamine

Ketamine

A dissociative anesthetic with rapid-acting antidepressant properties, widely used in clinical settings for mood and pain disorders.

Full Ketamine profile
IndicationAn estimated 2 million people in the United States have OUD.

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a prevalent and serious public health issue that is increasingly being targeted for treatment with psychedelics, particularly ibogaine. Recent studies suggest that these compounds may alleviate withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings, presenting a potential shift in therapeutic approaches to OUD.

Full Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) profile

Academic Research

6 papers
Paywallmeta

Beating Pain with Psychedelics: Matter over Mind?

This review (2021) makes the case for using psychedelics to treat pain. Key areas discussed include studies that have directly used psychedelics to treat pain, potential neuro-restorative effects of psychedelics in pain-related states of consciousness, anti-neuroinflammatory and pro-immunomodulatory actions of psychedelics and the safety, legal, and ethical consideration inherent in psychedelics’ pharmacotherapy. Psychedelics could also help to elucidate the mechanism of pain syndromes.

Published
March 1, 2022
Journal
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Authors
Elman, I., Borsook, D., Pustilink, A.
Paywallmeta

Do Hallucinogens Have a Role in the Treatment of Addictions? A Review of the Current Literature

This paper (2021) reviews the current literature regarding LSD, psilocybin, ketamine, ibogaine, and ayahuasca as potential treatments for addiction. The authors conclude that the available evidence is promising, but that more robust research is needed.

Published
March 31, 2021
Journal
SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine
Authors
Nigam, K. B., Pandurangi, A. K.
Open Accessmeta

Ketamine for the treatment of addiction: Evidence and potential mechanisms

This review (2018) looks at the studies done with ketamine for the treatment of addiction. The results are promising and various mechanisms underlie these effects. Both effects at the neurological (neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, and more) and psychological (mystical experience, reconsolidation of drug-related memories) are discussed.

Published
November 1, 2018
Journal
Neuropharmacology
Authors
Ezquerra-Romano, I. I., Lawn, W., Krupitsky, E. M., Morgan, C. J. A.
Open Accessmeta

Efficacy of Ketamine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review

This systematic review (2018) examines the efficacy of ketamine treatment for substance use disorder and summarizes evidence which suggests that ketamine may improve the ability to establish and maintain abstinence.

Published
July 24, 2018
Journal
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors
Jones, J. L., Mateus, C. F., Malcolm, R. J., Brady, K. T., Back, S. E.
Open Accessindividual

Single versus repeated sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for people with heroin dependence

This open-label longitudinal study (n=59) investigated the efficacy of a single versus three sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (140mg/70kg/session) for people with heroin dependence and found that the three-session program is more than twice as effective (abstinence 50% vs. 22.2%) one year after treatment.

Published
March 1, 2007
Journal
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
Authors
Krupitsky, E. M., Burakov, A. M., Dunaevsky, I. V., Romanova, T. N., Slavina, T. Y., Grinenko, A. Y.
Open Accessindividual

Ketamine psychotherapy for heroin addiction: immediate effects and two-year follow-up

This randomised double-blind clinical trial (2002, n=70) found that existential psychotherapy in combination with psychedelic doses of intramuscular (im) ketamine (140mg/70kg) achieved larger results in the treatment of heroin addiction than sub-hallucinogenic doses (14mg/70kg).

Published
December 1, 2002
Journal
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Authors
Krupitsky, E. M., Burakov, A. M., Romanova, T. N., Dunaevsky, I. V., Strassman, R. J., Grinenko, A. Y.

Clinical Trials

11 trials
Not yet recruitingPhase II

Targeting Treatment-Resistant OUD With Ketamine-Assisted Mindfulness Oriented Recovery Enhancement

This Phase II, randomised, double-blind trial (n=88) will evaluate the efficacy of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement combined with Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KetaMORE) for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) receiving medication treatment. The primary aim is to determine whether participants receiving the KetaMORE intervention will show greater reductions in opioid use and craving compared to those receiving ketamine-assisted psychotherapy paired with a non-mindfulness support group. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: the experimental group will receive ketamine-assisted psychotherapy alongside Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement, while the control group will receive ketamine-assisted psychotherapy with a support group intervention that does not include mindfulness training. Both groups will undergo identical ketamine dosing and psychotherapy sessions, differing only in the adjunctive behavioural intervention. Key outcome measures will include the number of days of opioid use, time to first opioid use lapse, craving levels, and mood, assessed through ecological momentary assessments and standardised measures at various points throughout the study. The trial is set to begin in February 2026 and aims for completion by April 2028.

Started
February 1, 2026
Type
interventional
Blinding
double
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT07369089
RecruitingPhase II

Ketamine for Opioid Use Disorder

This randomised, quadruple-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II trial (n=50) will assess the effects of ketamine (52.5mg/70kg; 0.75 mg/kg IM, four doses over two weeks) on opioid craving and withdrawal symptoms in adults newly entering methadone treatment for opioid use disorder.

Started
August 1, 2025
Type
interventional
Blinding
quadruple
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT06943859
TerminatedPhase II

Ketamine for OUD and Suicidal Ideation in the ED

This pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised clinical trial (n=50) led by Brigham and Women's Hospital assesses safety and preliminary efficacy of IV ketamine (0.8 mg/kg over 40 minutes) for individuals with opioid use disorder and suicidal ideation in the emergency department.

Started
March 1, 2024
Type
interventional
Blinding
double
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT06111339
Active not yet recruitingPhase II

Efficacy of Ketamine for the Prevention of Relapse in Patients with Opioid-Use Disorders (OUD)

This double-blind, placebo-controlled therapeutic exploratory trial (n=60; PROUD) tests a two-week adjunctive subanaesthetic ketamine regimen (0.5 mg/kg IV) to improve retention in opioid-substitution treatment and prevent relapse in patients with opioid-use disorder.

Started
April 28, 2022
Type
interventional
Blinding
double
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
2022-001997-70
TerminatedPhase I

Ketamine for OUD and Comorbid Depression (OUDCD)

This single-group assignment trial (n=6) aims to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of ketamine as a treatment for patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and comorbid depression (OUDCD).

Started
April 4, 2022
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT05051449
TerminatedPhase II

KAP for Depression in Abstinent Opioid Users (KReDO)

Terminated single-group Phase II study (n=5) of intramuscular ketamine (0.5→1.5 mg/kg, up to 60 mg) weekly for 8 weeks with psychotherapy for adults (18–64) with MDD and opioid use disorder in remission.

Started
January 13, 2022
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT05193318

Explore further

Search all Ketamine papers Search all Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) trials Full Ketamine profile Full Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) profile