Zyban

bupropion

Zyban (bupropion hydrochloride) tablets are a non-nicotine aid to smoking cessation. Zyban is chemically unrelated to nicotine or other agents currently used in the treatment of nicotine addiction.

Bupropion is a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of norepinephrine and dopamine, and does not inhibit monoamine oxidase or the re-uptake of serotonin. The mechanism by which Zyban enhances the ability of users to abstain from smoking is unknown. However, it is presumed that this action is mediated by noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic mechanisms.

Zyban is a tablet used to help quit smoking. Zyban contains a medicine called Bupropion. Bupropion is also the medicine in Wellbutrin, which is used for depression. Zyban is started before quitting smoking, with a target date usually in the second week of taking Zyban.

Zyban has an antidepressant action. However, its effect on quitting smoking may not be directly related to its antidepressant effects. Possible theories for how it works include blocking the effects of nicotine, reducing withdrawal or helping depressed mood. However, in a trial of people who didn’t want to stop smoking, Zyban was no more effective than placebo.

Zyban approximately doubles the chances of quitting smoking at 3 months from quit date. This drops back a little at 1 year from stopping. Zyban is less effective than Champix. In trials, Zyban had around a 14% quit rate versus 21% for Champix.

The total daily dose of Zyban does not exceed 300 mg (the maximum recommended dose for smoking cessation), and the recommended daily dose for most users (300 mg/day) is administered in divided doses (150 mg twice daily). No single dose should exceed 150 mg to avoid high peak concentrations of bupropion and/or its metabolites.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose. Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much Zyban. Symptoms of a Zyban overdose may include seizures, muscle stiffness, hallucinations, fainting, fast or uneven heartbeat, shallow breathing, heart failure, or coma.

Zyban is not without side-effects. The most common side effects experienced with Zyban include dry mouth and difficulty sleeping. There are other risks associated with the use of Zyban, so it is important to talk to your healthcare professional to see whether Zyban is right for you. There is a risk of seizure associated with Zyban, which is increased in certain users.

Zyban may reduce weight gain from stopping smoking, while it is being taken, although weight gain can occur when Zyban is stopped.

Zyban is contraindicated in patients with a seizure disorder, in patients treated with Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, or any other medications that contain bupropion because the incidence of seizure is dose dependent, in patients with a current or prior diagnosis of bulimia or anorexia nervosa because of a higher incidence of seizures noted in patients treated for bulimia with the immediate-release formulation of bupropion, in patients undergoing abrupt discontinuation of alcohol or sedatives (including benzodiazepines), in patients who have shown an allergic response to bupropion or the other ingredients that make up Zyban.