An Investigation of the Effects of Methadone and Buprenorphine on Liver Enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP) and Blood Sugar in Drug-Dependent Patients: A Clinical Examination

Khodadadzade Benhangi, Vajihe; Rajabian, Majid

doi:10.22087/hmj.2025.231630

An Investigation of the Effects of Methadone and Buprenorphine on Liver Enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP) and Blood Sugar in Drug-Dependent Patients: A Clinical Examination

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Vajihe Khodadadzade Benhangi ¹

Majid Rajabian ²

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Payame Noor University, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Payam Noor University of Iran, Tehran, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22087/hmj.2025.231630

Abstract

Background and Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of the long-term use of opioids drugs, particularly buprenorphine and methadone, on drug addicts. The primary focus was to examine the possibility of tissue and pathological lesions in the liver, as well as their impacts on liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and fast blood sugar levels (FBS) in these individuals.
Materials and Methods: For this clinical study, 264 drug-dependent patients were selected from Imam Reza Hospital and two addiction treatment centers. The patients were divided into two groups. They received treatment with varying doses of methadone and buprenorphine. The study consisted of two phases. The first phase investigated the relationship between liver enzymes and blood sugar levels, with the methadone dose before and after treatment, while the second phase explored hypotheses related to the effectiveness of methadone compared with buprenorphine.
Results: The results of this study revealed a significant correlation between the levels of liver enzymes, blood sugar, and methadone consumption. Higher doses of methadone were found to be more effective in detoxification and withdrawal compared with buprenorphine. In other words, the prolonged and high-dose use of methadone led to tissue and hormonal damage.
Conclusion: Using of high doses of methadone and its long-term usage have more detrimental effects on the health and tissues of drug addicts' bodies.

Keywords

Methadone

Buprenorphine

Liver

Liver enzymes

Blood sugar levels

Drugs

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