How Zyban Works to Help Quit
Cigarette Smoking

Ever wonder how Zyban works to help reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms?

Even the experts are mystified as to why buproprion can help people who want to quit cigarette smoking.

Clinical trial data shows that it works better than a placebo at reducing nicotine withdrawal symptoms and cravings, but even with stop smoking drugs continued abstinence rates at one year are still low.

How Does Zyban Work in the Brain?

Some people who take the drug Zyban report they have less craving for a cigarette or that they want to smoke less. But the exact mechanism of how the drug Zyban makes this happen has not been precisely identified.

Experts think that the drug buproprion has adrenergic and dopaminergic properties which would explain its action.

Don't get put off by the big words here is what they really mean.

The ending "ergic" on the adjective means that the levels of that substance are increased.

Adrenergic means that the drug Zyban works to increase the levels of epinephrine (or an epinephrine like substance) in the body. Dopaminergic means the same thing except it refers to the substance dopamine.

Epinephrine fortifies the body to help to deal with stress and dopamine has a role is facilitating the perception of pleasure.

If the levels of epinephrine and dopamine are raised by the chemical buproprion then it makes sense that it could improve the mood of a person who is depressed or make nicotine withdrawal symptoms and cravings less intense.

So that is the short (very short) explanation of how Zyban works to help quit cigarette smoking.

Now if you can figure out a way to use the words adrenergic and dopaminergic in a sentence when you are casually engaged in conversation with your friends, I think they will be impressed!

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