Herbal remedies for quitting smoking aren't well-studied in the United States. For this reason, you're more likely to find reliable information about smoking cessation prodicts like nicotine gum or anti-smoking drugs than you are about herbal teas and tinctures. Talk to your doctor about the most reliable method for kicking the habit. If the idea of more nicotine or pharmaceutical drugs makes you uncomfortable, your doctor may recommend an herbal substitute.
Lobelia
You may find lobelia a helpful herb to try in your smoking cessation quest--but perhaps not in the way you might have heard. Lobelia's reputation for replacing the physical satisfaction of nicotine seems to be a false one, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center. Lobeline, the main compound in lobelia, doesn't deliver the same "rush" as nicotine. On the other hand, it shows promise in battling physical addictions, including nicotine addictions, by lessening the effect drugs like cigarettes have on the body's dopamine levels. This rise in dopamine seems to be what keeps the body hooked to nicotine in the first place. Not enough studies have been done to determine how effective lobelia is for breaking addictive patterns, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. But the herb may have the additional smoking-related benefit of helping soothe respiratory problems like bronchitis and chronic coughing. Tinctures and extracts are generally preferred to lobelia cigarettes or teas, according to UMMC.
St. John's Wort
According to the University of Minnesota, St. John's wort is one the top ten best-selling herbs in the United States. Extracts from the flowering herb are used both internally and externally. As a medicinal supplement, St. John's wort boasts mood-boosting properties that have been utilized since the days of ancient Greece. Among the herb's compounds are hyperforin, flavonoids and hypericin, which seem to boost dopamine and serotonin levels in much the same way prescription antidepressants do. St. John's Wort may be helpful in soothing nerves during the smoking cessation process. More studies need to be done to determine exactly how effective the herbal extract is, the university points out. The herb may interact with several other drugs, including prescription antidepressants, allergy medications, birth control and migraine medicine. Always check with your doctor to discuss possible side effects and drug interactions.
Additional Herbs
A 2005 Korean study found that certain herbal teas may both lower the impact of nicotine withdrawal symptoms and provide antioxidant protection from the effects of smoking. Researchers found cloves and astragalus to be especially strong components of the eleven-herb medicinal tea used in the study. Authors Kathi Keville and Peter Korn recommend a multi-herb formula made up of tinctures of skullcap, valerian, oat berries, St. John's wort and passionflower. The formula helps the body cope with nicotine withdrawal, according to Keville and Korn.
Considerations
New York University's Langone Medical Center states categorically that: "There are no proven natural aids for treating cigarette addiction." You may prefer to try a better-researched method for quitting smoking. Smoking cessation products approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration fall into one of two categories, according to the FDA. The first type includes nicotine, but not the other harmful chemicals found in tobacco. Users follow a "step down" program, using products containing less nicotine as time goes by. Nicotene products come in gum, lozenge and patch form. The FDA also has approved prescription medications which counter the effects that nicotine has on the brain. Both nicotine products and non-nicotine drugs carry risks which you should talk over with your doctor, the FDA notes.
References
- New York University Langone Medical Center: Cigarette Addiction: Proposed Natural Treatments
- University of Minnesota: 10 Top Best Selling Botanicals: What They Do
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Lobelia
- University of Maryland Medical Center:St. John's Wort
- U.S. Fodd and Drug Admininstration: FDA 101: Smoking Cessation Products
- PubMed.gov: Effects of Medicinal Herb Tea on the Smoking Cessation and Reducing Smoking Withdrawal Symptoms
