Clinical application of nalmefene

Clinically, nalmefene not only has the traditional uses of opioid receptor antagonists, such as anti-shock, treatment of alcoholism, treatment of morphine poisoning, anesthesia recovery, but also can be used for heart failure, treatment of spinal cord injury, weight loss, gastrointestinal dysfunction, brain protection and so on. At the same time, nalmefene can stimulate the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and gonadotropin due to the competition with endogenous substances and the role of opioid receptors in vivo, so it may also be used to treat male sexual dysfunction and some functional disorders.

In preventing drug addicts from relapse, nalmefene has greater advantages than other opioid receptor antagonists (such as naltrexone) in preventing drug addicts from relapse because of its high bioavailability and no possibility of abuse. It is the most effective opioid antagonist with minimal side effects and no residue at present. Long-acting sustained-release nalmefene is the most effective, reliable, safest and ideal treatment to prevent recurrence.