Baclofen is a derivative of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

γ-Aminobutyric acid is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. It plays a role in regulating neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system...

. It is primarily used to treat spasticity

Spasticity

Spasticity is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance in muscle tone involving hypertonia, which is also referred to as an unusual "tightness" of muscles...

 and is under investigation for the treatment of alcoholism

Alcoholism

Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...

.

It is an agonist

Agonist

An agonist is a chemical that binds to a receptor of a cell and triggers a response by that cell. Agonists often mimic the action of a naturally occurring substance...

 for the GABA_B receptor

GABA B receptor

GABAB receptors are metabotropic transmembrane receptors for gamma-aminobutyric acid that are linked via G-proteins to potassium channels...

s. Its beneficial effects in spasticity

Spasticity

Spasticity is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance in muscle tone involving hypertonia, which is also referred to as an unusual "tightness" of muscles...

 result from actions at spinal

Vertebral column

In human anatomy, the vertebral column is a column usually consisting of 24 articulating vertebrae, and 9 fused vertebrae in the sacrum and the coccyx. It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs...

 and supraspinal

Supraspinal

Supraspinal means above the spine, and may refer to,above the spinal cord and vertebral column:*brainor above the spine of scapula:*supraspinatus muscle*supraspinatous fascia*supraspinatous fossa*supraspinous ligament...

 sites. Baclofen can also be used to treat hiccups, and has been shown to prevent rises in body temperature induced by the drug MDMA in rats.

In addition, research has shown baclofen to be effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence

Alcohol dependence, as described in the DSM-IV, is a psychiatric diagnosis describing an entity in which an individual uses alcohol despite significant areas of dysfunction, evidence of physical dependence, and/or related hardship.-Definition and diagnosis:According to the DSM-IV criteria for...

 and withdrawal

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome

-Protracted withdrawal:A protracted alcohol withdrawal syndrome occurs in many alcoholics where withdrawal symptoms continue beyond the acute withdrawal stage but usually at a subacute level of intensity and gradually decreasing with severity over time. This syndrome is also sometimes referred to...

, by inhibiting both withdrawal symptoms and cravings

Craving (withdrawal)

When going through withdrawal, craving is a psychological urge to administer a discontinued medication or recreational drug.-Duration:The duration that cravings last after discontinuation varies substantially between different addictive drugs...

.

A very beneficial property of baclofen is that tolerance does not seem to occur to any significant degree — baclofen retains its therapeutic anti-spasmodic effects even after many years of continued use.