AN INVESTIGATION ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF COCAINE HYDROLASE FOR THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IN COCAINE VIOLENCE

Abstract

As a public health emergency, the lack of effective pharmacological treatments for cocaine addiction is a pressing concern. In order to reduce the negative effects of cocaine on the body and mind, this study set out to develop a designed enzyme known as cocaine hydrolase (CocH). This enzyme would rapidly degrade cocaine into inactive metabolites. The structural optimization of CocH is being explored in this work to improve its catalytic efficacy, selectivity, and stability while reducing off-target effects. The main goals of the research in this field include enzyme engineering by protein design, in vivo and in vitro characterization of CocH variants, and preclinical assessments of their therapeutic potential. In animal models, the findings demonstrate that enhanced CocH decreases drug-induced behavioral reactivity while effectively increasing cocaine metabolism. The study also investigates potential immunogenicity, safety, and delivery techniques to ensure that CocH is suitable for clinical usage. This research demonstrates the possibility of enzyme-based therapies as a novel approach to treating cocaine addiction, which opens up new possibilities for their use in addiction medicine. The devastating impact of cocaine addiction on people's emotional well-being, interpersonal connections, and financial stability is a growing issue in public health. Cocaine dependence has been the subject of much research, but pharmacological therapies have fallen short of expectations. The main goal of this study is to develop and improve cocaine hydrolase (CocH), an engineered enzyme that can rapidly break down cocaine into two non-pharmacological byproducts—ecgonine methyl ester and benzoic acid—at a rate far higher than the body's natural metabolism.