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Review
. 2023 Jul;29(7):665-672.
doi: 10.1007/s11655-023-3635-y. Epub 2023 Apr 19.

Methamphetamine: Mechanism of Action and Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment for Its Addiction

Rui Zeng  1 , Hong-Yu Pu  2 , Xin-Yue Zhang  1 , Meng-Lin Yao  1 , Qin Sun  3
Affiliations
Review

Methamphetamine: Mechanism of Action and Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment for Its Addiction

Rui Zeng et al. Chin J Integr Med. 2023 Jul.

Abstract

With the proliferation of synthetic drugs, research on the mechanism of action of addictive drugs and treatment methods is of great significance. Among them, methamphetamine (METH) is the most representative amphetamine synthetic drug, and the treatment of METH addiction has become an urgent medical and social problem. In recent years, the therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal medicines on METH addiction have gained widespread attention because of their non-addictiveness, multiple targets, low side effects, low cost, and other characteristics. Previous studies have identified a variety of Chinese herbal medicines with effects on METH addiction. Based on the research on METH in recent years, this article summarizes the mechanism of action of METH as the starting point and briefly reviews the Chinese herbal medicine-based treatment of METH.

Keywords: Chinese herbal medicine; addiction; mechanism; methamphetamine; neurotoxicity; treatment.

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