selegiline + nicotine

A combination therapy consisting of selegiline, a selective and irreversible monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, and nicotine, typically administered as a nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) through skin patches. This combination has been studied for smoking cessation, with selegiline working to maintain dopamine levels in the brain while nicotine helps manage withdrawal symptoms. Clinical trials have investigated this combination with mixed results: - A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 109 smokers found that oral selegiline (2.5 mg twice daily for one week before quitting, then 5 mg twice daily for 26 weeks) combined with nicotine patches showed promising results[1]. - This study reported that 25% of participants in the selegiline plus nicotine group remained continuously abstinent for 52 weeks compared to 11% in the placebo plus nicotine group, though this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.08)[1]. - Importantly, selegiline significantly reduced craving for cigarettes at 4 weeks after quit day (p = 0.02) and appeared to mitigate the need for nicotine replacement therapy[1]. Another approach has been the use of transdermal selegiline (skin patch) for smoking cessation, though clinical trials with this delivery method have not shown significant efficacy overall[2][8]. Safety Considerations: 1. **Drug Interactions**: Selegiline can interact with numerous medications (519 known drug interactions), including 129 major interactions[7]. The metabolism of selegiline can be decreased when combined with nicotine[4]. 2. **Dietary Restrictions**: Higher doses of selegiline require a low-tyramine diet to avoid hypertensive crisis, though the lowest dose of the patch method (6 mg/24 hours) does not require dietary restrictions[5]. 3. **Serotonin Syndrome Risk**: Selegiline carries warnings about combining it with drugs that could produce serotonin syndrome, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and certain cough medicines[5][6]. 4. **Side Effects**: Common side effects of selegiline include dry mouth, insomnia, dizziness, and application site reactions with the transdermal form[5]. The combination of selegiline and nicotine represents an interesting approach to smoking cessation that targets both the dopaminergic reward system and nicotine withdrawal management, though more research is needed to establish its definitive efficacy.

Other names

selegiline hydrochloride + nicotinel-deprenyl + nicotineselegiline + nicotine replacement therapy