Developed by Pfizer pharmaceuticals, Chantix Varenicline is an FDA approved drug used for smoking cessation. In numerous clinical trials Chantix has been proven to be the most effective quit smoking drug available on the market. The active ingredient in Chantix is called varenicline tartrate. It is a new form of medication that helps you quit smoking by relieving you of nicotine withdrawal pangs and reducing the pleasure derived from smoking. A 12-week Chantix treatment can quadruple your odds of quitting as against those who try to quit via the cold turkey method. Since, Chantix is a prescription only smoking cessation drug, you should use this medication after consulting a doctor.

Is nicotine highly addictive?

Nicotine addiction is the foremost reason why many people find it hard to quit smoking. According to World Health Organization (WHO), nicotine is highly addictive, in fact as addictive as heroine or cocaine. Within 7 to 10 seconds of inhaling cigarette smoke, the nicotine is carried deep into your lungs where it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and carried throughout your body, including the heart and blood vessels, the endocrine and the metabolic systems, as well as the brain. Once inside these systems, nicotine triggers a number of chemical reactions to render temporary feelings of pleasure for the smoker which subside within minutes. As the nicotine levels drop in the blood, the smokers feel the urge to light up again. They feel uncomfortable and agitated until they smoke again; this is owing to the nicotine withdrawal pangs. In order to relieve the nicotine withdrawal symptoms, smokers light one cigarette after another. Eventually, they become hooked to nicotine. After some time, this addiction becomes so strong that smokers find it extremely difficult to get over it.

How Chantix works as an agonist of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor?

Varenicline, the active ingredient in Chantix works as a partial agonist of the alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In addition it acts on alpha3beta4 and weakly on alpha3beta2 and alpha6-containing receptors. By acting as an agonist, Chantix helps to relieve nicotine withdrawal symptoms and reduces the rewarding properties of nicotine, thereby aiding smoking cessation.

Role of Chantix and nicotine receptors

Chantix varenicline does not contain nicotine but it acts on the nicotine receptors in the brain. By binding to these nicotine receptors, Chantix blocks the effects of nicotine at those sites, helping to prevent the pleasurable effects of smoking. Chantix doesn’t only bind to nicotine receptors, it also acts like nicotine; this helps to prevent nicotine withdrawal symptoms. This is scientifically known as “a partial agonist.” This means that Chantix also competitively binds to alpha4beta2 receptors blocking the ability of nicotine to stimulate the release of dopamine.

Nicotine and dopamine

Although to a lesser degree, nicotine activates the same reward pathways in the brain as do other drugs of abuse such as cocaine or amphetamine. When you smoke, the nicotine from your cigarette causes the receptors in your brain to release several chemicals, including dopamine – a neurotransmitter that is responsible for the feelings of pleasure and well-being. But, these pleasurable effects of nicotine wear off within minutes. You therefore feel the urge to smoke again to maintain the level of dopamine in your blood. However, when you quit smoking the lower levels of dopamine cause you to suffer from nicotine withdrawal symptoms which typically include irritability, insomnia and difficulty concentrating. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms begin 4 to 6 hours after your last cigarette and can last a month or more after you have quit smoking. Many people are not able to cope with these withdrawal pangs and therefore revert to smoking.

Chantix and dopamine

Chantix varenicline helps people fight off nicotine withdrawal symptoms with ease. Chantix imitates the effect of nicotine on the brain. It stimulates the release of low levels of dopamine and other chemicals in your brain to help reduce the signs and symptoms of withdrawal; therefore your body no longer craves nicotine. In addition, Chantix blocks the nicotine receptors in your brain. So if you lapse during your Champix treatment and have a cigarette, the nicotine in the smoke will fail to stimulate your brain’s receptors the way it did in the past. You therefore do not derive the same pleasure as you used to and as a result your desire to return to regular smoking again may be reduced.

Is Chantix effective?

Chantix varenicline is proven to be the most effective quit smoking drug currently available on the market. According to a 12-week clinical study, a 44% success rate was noticed amongst people taking the Chantix treatment as against 33% success rate amongst people using Zyban (bupropion), the only other FDA approved quit smoking drug. Further study which lasted for a year showed 22% abstinence amongst people using Chantix and 16% abstinence amongst people using Zyban. However, Chantix works best when used in conjunction with professional counseling.