by Are you planning to quit smoking in 2024? If so, you may be interested in a new study published in Addiction that highlights the effectiveness of cytisine as a stop-smoking aid. Cytisine, a low-cost, generic drug that has been used in Eastern Europe since the 1960s, has been found to increase the chances of successful smoking cessation by more than two-fold compared to a placebo. In fact, it may even be more effective than nicotine replacement therapy. The best part? Cytisine has a benign safety profile, with no serious safety concerns reported.
Sounds promising, right? Well, here’s the catch: Cytisine is not licensed or marketed in most countries outside of central and eastern Europe, making it largely unavailable worldwide. This is particularly concerning for low- and middle-income countries where it could make a significant difference in improving global health.
It was first synthesized in Bulgaria in 1964 under the name Tabex and later spread to other Eastern European and Asian countries, where it is still sold today. In 2017, a Polish pharmaceutical company called Aflofarm began marketing the drug as Desmoxan, available only by prescription. In Canada, it was approved as an over-the-counter natural health product under the brand name Cravv.
Due to its affordability, cytisine holds great potential to increase access to drug therapy for smokers, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LAMI). Dr. Omar Di Santi, the lead author of the study, explains, “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. Worldwide, smoking is considered the main cause of preventable death. Cytisine has the potential to be one of the big answers to that problem.”
The study analyzed the results of eight randomized controlled trials involving nearly 6,000 patients. These trials compared the efficacy of cytisine versus a placebo and found that cytisine more than doubled the chances of successful smoking cessation. Additionally, the study examined two other randomized controlled trials comparing cytisine with nicotine replacement therapy, showing modest results in favor of cytisine. Three trials comparing cytisine with varenicline did not show a clear advantage for cytisine.
The findings of this study highlight the potential benefits of cytisine as a low-cost and effective stop-smoking aid. However, its limited availability outside of central and eastern Europe poses a challenge for individuals worldwide who are trying to quit smoking. Increased efforts are needed to expand access to cytisine and other cost-effective smoking cessation drugs in order to combat the global health crisis caused by smoking-related diseases.
If you’re planning to quit smoking in 2024, don’t despair. While cytisine may not be readily available in your country, there are still numerous other stop-smoking aids and programs that can help you on your journey towards a smoke-free life. Remember, quitting smoking is one of the best decisions you can make for your health and well-being.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
