What is Acamprosate?
{{no sources|date=December 2023}} '''Acamprosate''', marketed under the brand name '''[[Campral]]''', is a medication used to help individuals with alcohol dependence maintain [[abstinence]]. Approved by regulatory authorities for this purpose, acamprosate is thought to act by stabilizing the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly [[Gamma-Aminobutyric acid|gamma-aminobutyric acid]] (GABA) and [[glutamate]].<ref name=USlabel>{{cite web|title=Campral label|url=https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2012/021431s015lbl.pdf|publisher=FDA|access-date=27 November 2017|date=January 2012}} For label updates see [https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=021431 FDA index page for NDA 021431]</ref> Developed in the late 1980s, acamprosate gained approval in several countries as an adjunct to psychosocial support in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Unlike some other medications for alcohol use disorder, acamprosate does not cause a [[disulfiram]]-like reaction with alcohol consumption. The precise mechanism of acamprosate's action is not entirely understood, but it is believed to modulate the glutamatergic system, potentially reducing the hyperactivity associated with alcohol withdrawal. Clinical trials have demonstrated varying degrees of efficacy, with acamprosate showing effectiveness in supporting [[abstinence]] and preventing relapse. Acamprosate may cause side effects, including [[diarrhea]], [[nausea]], and [[itching]]. Its use is generally conflicted (contravened) in individuals with severe [[Kidney|renal]] impairment.<ref>{{cite web | title= Acamprosate | publisher = drugs.com | date = 2005-03-25 | access-date = 2007-01-08 | url=https://www.drugs.com/mtm/acamprosate.html| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061222131140/http://www.drugs.com/MTM/acamprosate.html| archive-date= 22 December 2006 | url-status= live}}</ref> Research continues to explore the optimal use and potential benefits of acampr