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In a mouse study, a drug-metformin, used to treat patients with type 2 diabetes, appears to block symptoms of nicotine withdrawal in rodents. Sangwon Kim, Ph.D., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, along with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, found that laboratory mice that had been exposed to a two-week regimen of nicotine displayed no withdrawal symptoms when given the diabetes drug.
Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death.
Nicotine replacement, antidepressant and a medication aimed at reducing the cravings for and pleasurable effects of cigarettes, none of which directly treats nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine affects brain chemistry, the research team focused on activating an enzyme known as AMP-activated protein kinase, AMPK, which stimulates the breakdown of glucose for energy.
Among the effects of metformin, which suppresses liver glucose production, is the activation of AMPK. In proper doses, the researchers thought, metformin might treat the withdrawal symptoms without the side effect of throwing blood glucose out of balance. They discovered that nicotine-treated mice that were given metformin displayed none of the anxiety or other negative effects of withdrawal.
Metformin completely prevented anxious behaviors caused by nicotine withdrawal at doses that had no effect on body weight, food consumption or glucose levels. Because of safety and lack of side effects of Metformin, it has potential to help with nicotine withdrawal.
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