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Volume 4, Number 39 - March 7, 2003
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 Press International.
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