Currently, there are no adequate treatments for alcohol dependence and addiction. Traditional approaches to treat alcohol abuse problems have targeted the stress and anxiety pathways in the brain to ameliorate alcohol craving and manage painful withdrawal symptoms (Silberman et al., 2009; Zorrilla and Koob, 2010; Pastor et al., 2011). Recently, several therapeutic strategies are currently approved or in clinical trials for treating alcoholism. In 2012, Baclofen was approved as treatment for alcoholism by the French agency AFSSAPS. In U.S., based on recent advances in clinical research (Ameisen, 2005; Addolorato et al., 2011), NIAAA is finishing Phase-2 clinical trials testing Baclofen as treatment for alcoholism (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01751386). Baclofen is an agonist for GABAB receptors, which activate GIRK channels, inhibit voltage-gated calcium channels, and alter cAMP levels. However, Baclofen, originally developed to treat muscular spasticity (Penn and Kroin, 1985), produces numerous undesirable side-effects like headache, sleepiness, exhaustion, vertigo, nausea, and insomnia (Addolorato et al., 2011).
