Abstract
Nicotine is the molecule responsible for the psychopharmacological effects and the addictive properties of tobacco use and cigarette smoking. Researchers at Washington State University have developed an orally-available nicotine derivative that can be prescribed for the cessation of cigarette smoking and tobacco use. It specifically inhibits the major nicotine-metabolizing enzyme in the body and in some cases, another enzyme important in alternative nicotine metabolism.
When administered in cigarette smokers and tobacco users, these agents will inhibit enzymes, resulting in a much longer in vivo half-life for nicotine. The desired effects of nicotine will occur, but for a much longer period of time, so users will smoke fewer cigarettes. Since this will dimmish the exposure to the carcinogenic effects of tobacco and cigarette smoke, this could reduce the risk of cancer in tobacco users. In addition, decreases in the amount of tobacco use will result in a corresponding decrease in the behavioral addiction component; the act of smoking itself.
Therefore, these agents will not only enable people to smoke fewer cigarettes and use less tobacco, but will help people to stop smoking and using tobacco completely.
Applications and Advantages
Our agents target a different tobacco-related pathway than commercially-related products like Chantix