Latest update:
Wednesday, May 18, 2016 - 17:40
A Bulgarian medicinal product is the most efficient device for smoking cessation. This has been announced by New Zealand scientists as a conclusion from an independent study conducted by them. They carried out a study to compare the effect of the Bulgarian Tabex® - one of the leading products in Sopharma's portfolio, and the nicotine-replacement therapy (CASCAID). The results were published in the prestigious medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine. In their opinion, the Bulgarian product exceeded the other agents for discontinuation of the harmful habit, and what is more, at a significantly lower price and within a shorter period of treatment. Tabex® has been used as a smoking cessation method for over 50 years in Eastern Europe. It contains cytisine, an alkaloid of the plant Cytisus laburnum, known as Golden Rain. Tabex® interrupts the vicious circle of cigarette dependence by influencing the desire for smoking and the habits related to the pleasure of a burning cigarette. The study under the title of “Cytisine against nicotine for smoking cessation” was financed by the New Zealand Institute of Innovations in Health Protection and was the first study worldwide to compare the different kinds of therapy. It included 1310 smokers from New Zealand, half of them being given the Bulgarian product for a period of twenty five days, and the other half were treated with nicotine-replacement therapy (nicotine chewing gum, nicotine patches and nicotine lozenges) in a period of eight weeks. Participants were randomly divided in two branches of the study, with respect to ethnic origin, gender, level of addiction etc. After the study, the head of the New Zealand research team, Dr. Natalie Walker, summarizedthat “the Bulgarian medicinal product is an effective means of smoking cessation, which can be used as a first-choice medicine for treatment of nicotine dependence and for lasting smoking cessation”. During the treatment, those participants who took Tabex® reported over 150% reduction of symptoms of nicotine abstinence compared to nicotine-replacement therapy. Results showed that Tabex® had comparably better effect that the nicotine-replacement therapy. One month of non-smoking was reported in 40% of the participants on Tabex® and in 31% in those on nicotine-replacement therapy. The follow-up in two and in six months later showed that the Bulgarian product continued to be more effective and resulted in longer refraining from smoking than the nicotine-replacement therapy. “Smoking is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Since 70% of the smokers wish to give up cigarettes, but only 2,5% are successful, they need a support in the form of pharmacothepary”, commented the Head of the Pulmonary Clinic at the Bulgarian Military Medical Academy, Assoc.Prof. Dr.Kosta Kostov. One of the reasons of the good effect of Tabex® is that during its administration the smokers already stop to get pleasure from the harmful habit and they much more easily and comfortably overcome „the terrible symptoms“ of nicotine dependence", he added. Another world authority in the field of medicine, Prof. Nancy Rigotti of Harvard Medical School stated in a TV interview at the beginning of the year that it is a matter of public health significance Tabex® therapy to become available for as many people as possible. This medicine is not only more effective,but more affordable either, it has been used for decades and has a good safety profile, therefore millions of smokers can benefit from it, points out Prof.Rigotti. The famous scientist and expert on addictions, Prof. Robert West, is even more impressed by the Bulgarian herbal medication. In his comment for New Scientist Magazine he stated unequivocally that in his opinion Tabex® was the greatest news in the field of smoking cessation. “This is a tablet inexpensive to manufacture, which is affordable even for the poorest smoker and which can save the lives of millions”, added West. http://www.manager.bg/