HQ Team
January 1, 2024: Smoking is injurious to health is an accepted fact by smokers even, and figures say that nine out of 10 adults want to quit the habit. Few succeed, but a large population gives in to the temptation. Many smoke quitting aids have cropped up, such as nicotine patches, gums, hypnosis, and electric cigarettes. A study reveals that cytisine, a low-cost smoking cessation aid with a history dating back to the 1960s in Eastern Europe, outperforms placebos and potentially surpasses nicotine replacement therapy in helping individuals quit smoking.
This plant-based compound has exhibited a more than twofold increase in successful smoking cessation rates compared to placebos, positioning it as a potentially more effective solution than traditional nicotine replacement therapy.
Popular aid since 1964
Cytisine, originally synthesized as Tabex in Bulgaria in 1964, gained popularity in Eastern Europe and Asia before being sold by the Polish pharmaceutical company Aflofarm as Desmoxan and approved in Canada as an over-the-counter natural health product under the name Cravv. However, despite its success in certain regions, the drug remains largely unlicensed and unavailable in most countries, particularly outside central and eastern Europe.
The affordability of cytisine opens up possibilities for it to be integrated into plans aimed at increasing access to drug therapy for smokers, especially in low- and middle-income countries where such resources are often scarce.
Lead author Dr. Omar Di Santi emphasizes the potential impact of cytisine on a global scale, stating, “Our study adds to the evidence that cytisine is an effective and inexpensive stop-smoking aid. It could be very useful in reducing smoking in LAMI countries where cost-effective smoking cessation drugs are urgently needed. World-wide, smoking is considered the main cause of preventable death. Cytisine has the potential to be one of the big answers to that problem.”
Effective efficacy
The comprehensive study collected data from eight randomized controlled trials, involving nearly 6,000 patients, comparing cytisine with placebos. The collective findings underscored cytisine’s remarkable ability to more than double the likelihood of successful smoking cessation in comparison to placebos.
Furthermore, the study delved into a comparison between cytisine and nicotine replacement therapy, revealing modest results favoring cytisine. However, when pitted against varenicline in three trials, cytisine did not exhibit a clear benefit.
Several more studies have shown the efficacy of cystisine as an affordable solution for smoking addicts needing to kick the habit.
While the study underscores the potential of cytisine as a game-changer in smoking cessation, the current limitation lies in its accessibility. With its restricted availability outside certain regions, efforts must be made to bridge the gap and make this affordable solution globally accessible.
