A world-first trial of a drug that could reduce cravings for ice in addicts has begun in Australia.

N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is described as one of a "new generation" of medications being used to treat addiction.

Curtin University lead researcher Rebecca McKetin said NAC is a compound which alters the brain chemicals associated with addiction.

"NAC can reduce cravings for methamphetamine or other drugs including tobacco, cocaine and cannabis," she said.

"What we don't know is whether or not it can reduce levels of use in people who are actively using, and that's what our trial is aimed to identify."

The chemicals involved with addiction are known as glutamates.

"The brain systems change, they adapt to the drug and these glutamate systems become out of balance," Associate Professor McKetin said.

"N-acetyl cysteine is a drug that can restore balance to those brain systems.

"A lot of the drugs that we've tried before are replacement drugs. So we give a very similar drug in a milder dose to the person to stave off the cravings.

"We also have drugs that block the action of heroin for example — naltrexone. What we're looking at is targeting the brain changes that occur with addictive behaviour."

Trial gives addicts and their families hope

Kay Wilson's 42-year-old son and his 40-year-old girlfriend will be among those participating in the trial.

The pair from Woonona, near Wollongong in New South Wales, have been addicted to crystal methamphetamine for a decade.

"They'd try anything to stop their cravings, have at least a part of a normal life," Mrs Wilson said.

"We just want a way out for them."

Kay Wilson's son and his girlfriend are both addicted to ice and will try NAC. (ABC Illawarra: Ainslie Drewitt-Smith)

Mrs Wilson said she had struggled at times to cope with her son's dependence on the drug.

"I even got to the stage where I thought, and this is a terrible thing to say, but I hope he dies. Because I can't take it anymore," she said.

"We're retired. We feel we can't do anything in our lives until we get him straight. I 've always said I'll never be okay until he's okay."

After spending tens of thousands of dollars on several failed attempts at rehabilitation, Mrs Wilson said she was confident about the research surrounding NAC and hoped it would be effective.

"I'm really excited, I want them to have a life that is happy and not reliant on drugs. It's been hard, so here's hoping," she said.

Drug 'won't solve all our problems': professor

Associate Professor McKetin said while NAC could be a game changer for addicts, it was not expected to address all the issues associated with methamphetamine use.

Curtin University National Drug Research Institute associate professor Rebecca McKetin is a lead researcher with the NDRI. (Supplied: Curtin University)

"We definitely need a medication to help people reduce methamphetamine use and that's a big gap in our knowledge at the moment, we do have other treatment options that are available to people and they will always be needed," she said.

"It's not the case that this particular drug is going to solve all our problems related to methamphetamine.

"[But what we haven't got at the moment is a medication that people can take to help them reduce their cravings for the drug.

"This substance, NAC, if it does work to reduce cravings and reduce use, will make a potentially cost-effective treatment available to people who want to stop using the drug."

The National Drug Research Institute is leading the trial which is taking place in Melbourne, Geelong and Wollongong, in collaboration with various universities.

About 180 people who want to reduce their methamphetamine use will be recruited, and they will be put on NAC for 12 weeks.