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Volume 13
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Article

Methadone and Buprenorphine as Medication for Addiction Treatment Diversely Affect Inflammation and Craving Depending on Their Doses

by
Christonikos Leventelis
1,2,*,
Aristidis S. Veskoukis
3,
Andrea Paola Rojas Gil
1,
Panagiotis Papadopoulos
2,†,
Maria Garderi
2,†,
Asimina Angeli
2,†,
Antzouletta Kampitsi
4 and
Maria Tsironi
1
1
Department of Nursing, University of Peloponnese, 22100 Tripoli, Greece
2
Organization Against Drugs, 10433 Athens, Greece
3
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, Argonafton 1, 42132 Trikala, Greece
4
General Anticancer Hospital “Agios Savvas”, 11522 Athens, Greece
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Pharmacy 2025, 13(2), 40; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy13020040
Submission received: 21 November 2024 / Revised: 31 January 2025 / Accepted: 25 February 2025 / Published: 6 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Pharmacy Practice and Practice-Based Research)
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Abstract

Buprenorphine and methadone are widely used as medication for addiction treatment (MAT) in patients with opioid use disorders. However, there is no compelling evidence of their impact on the immune–endocrine response. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of the aforementioned medications on craving and on biomarkers of inflammation and cortisol, approaching the dose issue concurrently. Sixty-six patients (thirty-four under methadone and thirty-two under buprenorphine) who had just entered a MAT program and were stabilized with the suitable administered doses after a two-week process were divided into four groups based on medication dose (i.e., methadone high dose, buprenorphine high dose, methadone medium dose, and buprenorphine medium dose). The heroin craving questionnaire for craving assessment was completed, and the blood biomarkers were measured on Days 1 and 180. According to the results, high doses of both medications were accompanied by low levels of craving, cortisol, and inflammation on Day 1, and no alterations were observed on Day 180. On the contrary, medium doses reduced the tested psychosocial and biochemical parameters in terms of time, indicating a positive action for the patients. Concludingly, modifications in MAT doses are needed soon after the stabilization process to prevent inflammation and avoid relapse, thus helping opioid-addicted patients toward rehabilitation.
Keywords: methadone; buprenorphine; opioid maintenance treatment; inflammation; growth factors; cytokines methadone; buprenorphine; opioid maintenance treatment; inflammation; growth factors; cytokines

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MDPI and ACS Style

Leventelis, C.; Veskoukis, A.S.; Rojas Gil, A.P.; Papadopoulos, P.; Garderi, M.; Angeli, A.; Kampitsi, A.; Tsironi, M. Methadone and Buprenorphine as Medication for Addiction Treatment Diversely Affect Inflammation and Craving Depending on Their Doses. Pharmacy 2025, 13, 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy13020040

AMA Style

Leventelis C, Veskoukis AS, Rojas Gil AP, Papadopoulos P, Garderi M, Angeli A, Kampitsi A, Tsironi M. Methadone and Buprenorphine as Medication for Addiction Treatment Diversely Affect Inflammation and Craving Depending on Their Doses. Pharmacy. 2025; 13(2):40. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy13020040

Chicago/Turabian Style

Leventelis, Christonikos, Aristidis S. Veskoukis, Andrea Paola Rojas Gil, Panagiotis Papadopoulos, Maria Garderi, Asimina Angeli, Antzouletta Kampitsi, and Maria Tsironi. 2025. "Methadone and Buprenorphine as Medication for Addiction Treatment Diversely Affect Inflammation and Craving Depending on Their Doses" Pharmacy 13, no. 2: 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy13020040

APA Style

Leventelis, C., Veskoukis, A. S., Rojas Gil, A. P., Papadopoulos, P., Garderi, M., Angeli, A., Kampitsi, A., & Tsironi, M. (2025). Methadone and Buprenorphine as Medication for Addiction Treatment Diversely Affect Inflammation and Craving Depending on Their Doses. Pharmacy, 13(2), 40. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy13020040

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