How Does Zyban Work?

What is Zyban?

Zyban is a nicotine-free pill prescribed to help a patient stop smoking. It is prescription medicine available only from your healthcare professional for smokers 18 and older.

Zyban is also used to relieve symptoms of depression and to treat Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in children.

Zyban is manufactured by Glaxo Smith Kline and sold as Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR and Zyban SR. Zyban is also called bupropion hypochloride.

How does Zyban Work?

Researchers believe that Zyban interacts with the brain's neurotransmitters to reduce craving and the effects of withdrawal from nicotine addiction. The active ingredient, bupropion, is a relatively weak inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. Zyban can be combined with nicotine replacement therapy like patches or gum.

Bupropion is a medicine that was first developed to treat depression. It was found that it helped smokers to stop smoking. It is not clear how it works. It alters the level of some chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters). This seems to relieve the withdrawal symptoms that you get when you stop smoking (such as craving, anxiety, restlessness, headaches, irritability, hunger, difficulty with concentration, or just feeling awful).

Side Effects:

It has been suggested that bupropion and SSRIs may cause depression to worsen and even lead to suicide in a small number of patients. These potential side effects are difficult to evaluate in depressed patients because depression can progress with or without treatment, and suicide is itself a consequence of depression. Moreover, the evidence supporting these potential side effects is weak. Therefore, no conclusions can yet be drawn about the relationship between bupropion and SSRIs and worsening depression and suicide. Until better information is available, patients receiving bupropion or SSRIs should be monitored for worsening depression and suicidal tendencies.