Cigarette smoke cessation drugs

Rohsenow DJ, Monti PM, Colby SM, et al Naltrexone treatment for alcoholics effect on cigarette smoking rates. Nicotine Tob Res 5 231-236, 2003 Rose JE, Levin ED Concurrent agonist-antagonist administration for the analysis and treatment of drug dependence. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 41 219—226, 1991 Rose JE, Behm FM, Westman EC, et al Mecamylamine combined with nicotine skin patch facilitates smoking cessation beyond nicontine patch treatment alone. Clin Pharmacol Ther 56 86-99, 1994... 

Nicotine [NIC o teen] is the active ingredient in tobacco. Although this drug is not currently used therapeutically (except in smoking cessation therapy, see p. 101), nicotine remains important because it is second only to caffeine as the most widely used CNS stimulant and is second to alcohol as the most abused drug. In combination with the tars and carbon monoxide found in cigarette smoke, nicotine represents a serious risk factor for lung and cardiovascular disease, various cancers, as well as other illnesses. 

MAO-A and -B were shown to be inhibited in cigarette smokers. This is one of the reasons why MAO inhibitors were suggested to be useful in smoking cessation and continued abstinence [17,18]. This effect might be related to the maintenance of a level of MAO inhibition to which smokers were exposed [2]. As a matter of fact, an increase in dopamine levels was detected in the limbic system of smokers, contributing to the reinforcement of nicotine and other addictive drugs [19]. 

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