Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26187456›Full record

Trial reportDrug and alcohol dependence2015

The effects of dronabinol during detoxification and the initiation of treatment with extended release naltrexone.

Adam Bisaga, Maria A Sullivan, Andrew Glass, Kaitlyn Mishlen, Martina Pavlicova, Margaret Haney, Wilfrid N Raby, Frances R Levin, Kenneth M Carpenter, John J Mariani and 1 more

Registry-linked trialOpen access · greenAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Drug and alcohol dependence, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07148206 (Dronabinol and Epidiolex to Manage Uncontrolled Residual Symptoms of Buprenorphine Initiation Trial), which is not on this map. Cited by 50 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
50citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
7.3field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07148206 phase3not yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

Dronabinol and Epidiolex to Manage Uncontrolled Residual Symptoms of Buprenorphine Initiation Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorMontefiore Medical CenterRan2026 to 2028Enrolled40ConditionsOpioid Use DisorderArmsDronabinol Capsules, Epidiolex 100 mg/mL Oral Solution, Placebo Dronabinol, Placebo Epidiolex
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

50 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 94 citations in OpenAlex.

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  15. Impact of ΔThe Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2026
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  19. Effects of ΔThe Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Adam BisagaDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: amb107@columbia.edu.
Maria A SullivanDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: sulliva@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Andrew GlassDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: glassan@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Kaitlyn MishlenDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: mishlen@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Martina PavlicovaDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: mp2370@columbia.edu.
Margaret HaneyDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: haneyme@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Wilfrid N RabyDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: rabywil@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Frances R LevinDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: levinfr@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Kenneth M CarpenterDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: carpent@nyspi.columbia.edu.
John J MarianiDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: mariani@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Edward V NunesDepartment of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: nunesed@nyspi.columbia.edu.
Columbia University · US

Funding

Substance Abuse Treatment Development and Clinical Research MentoringK24DA029647 · NIDA · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI LEVIN, FRANCES RUDNICK · 2010 to 2019
$1.8M
Dronabinol naltrexone treatment for opioid dependenceR01DA027124 · NIDA · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI BISAGA, ADAM · 2009 to 2010
$804k
NIDA NIH HHS K24 DA029647NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA027124
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEvidence suggests that the cannabinoid system is involved in the maintenance of opioid dependence. We examined whether dronabinol, a cannabinoid receptor type 1 partial agonist, reduces opioid withdrawal and increases retention in treatment with extended release naltrexone (XR-naltrexone).

methodsOpioid dependent participants were randomized to receive dronabinol 30mg/d (n=40) or placebo (n=20), under double-blind conditions, while they underwent inpatient detoxification and naltrexone induction. Before discharge all participants received an injection of XR-naltrexone, with an additional dose given four weeks later. Dronabinol or placebo was given while inpatient and for 5 weeks afterwards. The primary outcomes were the severity of opioid withdrawal, measured with the Subjective Opioid Withdrawal Scale, and retention in treatment at the end of the inpatient phase and at the end of the 8-week trial.

resultsThe severity of opioid withdrawal during inpatient phase was lower in the dronabinol group relative to placebo group (p=0.006). Rates of successful induction onto XR-naltrexone (dronabinol 66%, placebo 55%) and completion of treatment (dronabinol 35%, placebo 35%) were not significantly different. Post hoc analysis showed that the 32% of participants who smoked marijuana regularly during the outpatient phase had significantly lower ratings of insomnia and anxiety and were more likely to complete the 8-week trial.

conclusionDronabinol reduced the severity of opiate withdrawal during acute detoxification but had no effect on rates of XR-naltrexone treatment induction and retention. Participants who elected to smoke marijuana during the trial were more likely to complete treatment regardless of treatment group assignment.

Indexed as

AdultCannabinoidsDelayed-Action PreparationsDouble-Blind MethodDronabinolDrug Administration ScheduleDrug Therapy, CombinationFemaleHumansMaleNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsOpioid-Related DisordersPatient ComplianceSubstance Withdrawal SyndromeYoung AdultCannabinoidsDelayed-Action PreparationsDronabinolNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsCannabinoidDronabinolNaltrexoneOpiate dependencePharmacotherapy trialsRandomized TrialTreatment

Identifiers

PMID26187456
PMCPMC4536087
OpenAlexW1520021447

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.