Enzyme Treats Nicotine Addiction
Evidence is
growing that monoamine oxidase-B or MAO-B inhibitors are effective treatments
for nicotine addiction.
Yale University
Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center scientists say the enzyme
MAO-B breaks down dopamine and symptoms of nicotine withdrawal have been
linked to a decrease in the concentration of dopamine.
They believe
increasing dopamine levels with MAO-B inhibitors could help patients stop
smoking.
They tested
the theory on 40 smokers over eight weeks and found 45 percent of those
receiving the MAO-B inhibitor selegiline hydrochloride had quit smoking
compared to 15 percent who had received a placebo.
At a six-month
follow-up, smoking cessation rates were 20 percent for those that received
SEL and 5 percent for placebo.
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Copyright 2003 by United
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