Cigarette smoking is super addictive and very bad for the health. Stopping, as any smoker will tell you, is challenging. To boost the success rate of quitting, smokers usually need help, whether from gum, patches, or inhalers. Certain foods and herbs are also used to help kick the habit but come with limitations such as cost, unwanted side effects and unsatisfactory outcomes.

To this end, a team of researchers and academics at Naresuan University has created nicotine lozenges made from extract of little ironweed, also known asVernonia cinerea or ya dok khaw in Thai. Early results have shown that the lozenges offer a reasonable level of cigarette withdrawal treatment as well as hope for those who want to quit.

The little ironweed lozenge product has been developed through research by a team of scientists and academics from Nareasun University, the Chaophraya Abhaibhubejhr Foundation and the private sector. It’s funded by National Research Council of Thailand.

“These candy-like lozenges are easy to use and convenient to carry. Users just place it in their mouth when they feel a craving coming on and allow it to dissolve. It can keep their mouth busy so they’re not tempted to smoke,” said Asst Prof Watoo Phrompittayarat at Naresuan University’s Faculty of Public Health, Department of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, the leader of the research team.

Little ironweed tea is already available on the market and also effective. It can be brewed for an after-meal drink to replace that after-meal cigarette.

Thai state agencies responsible for prevention and control of tobacco have worked hard to put effective measures in place to reduce tobacco use and keep teens from smoking and vaping.

The figures from the National Statistical Office (NSO) show that more than 9.9 million people in Thailand over the age of 15 are classified as frequent smokers.

Teen smoking is a growing concern in the country, with more and more teens taking up e-cigarettes, which are still harmful to their health. Some adults are switching from smoking to vaping as they think e-cigarettes may help them quit cigarettes.

Smoking can have long-term, adverse health effects. They can cause cancers, respiratory-related diseases and heart problems. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco smoke contains about 4,000 chemicals, of which at least 250 of which are known to be harmful. It also contains carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides, which are greenhouse gases.

Tobacco kills both smokers and non-smokers. Every year, more than 8 million people die from tobacco use, 1.3 million of them non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke, WHO says.

In 2017, more than 70,000 people in Thailand died from lung cancer, emphysema, pneumonia and tuberculosis, according to WHO Thailand.

A survey in 2021 by the United Nations, the WHO and the Thai Public Health Ministry revealed that some 6,000 people in Thailand die each year from second-hand smoke.

Statistics from the NSO show that about 23.7% of smokers smoke in theirhouses, which potentially exposes family members.

Safe and effective

The little ironweed lozenges are safe and effective in reducing nicotinecravings.

According to Watoo, little ironweed is well-documented as a herb and is widely used as a Thai traditional medicine to treat coughs, fever, pain, diarrhoea and asthma. And the medicinal plant appears on the National List of Essential Medicines.

Little ironweed has been also used as a ‘quit smoking’ aid as it contains nicotine and nitrates that induce tongue numbness, Watoo said, referring to studies.

“When users take the pills, the nitrates in the plant numb the tongue, which affects how they taste and smell the cigarette,” she added.

The weed also has bioactive compounds that include phenolic, catechin, flavonoid, and isoflavone which are known for their antioxidant activity that reduces the production of free radicals and lowers oxidative stress.

Her team carried out a study involving 74 smokers to determine the efficacy of the herbal lozenges. The results showed that the pillscan help reduce tobacco use and significantly reduce the levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide built up in the lungs.

“In the study, we found that the number of cigarettes the subjects smokedreduced after taking the herbal lozenges consistently for a period of time. And indirectly we saw that the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide levels in their lungs kept going down,” she said.

On top of that, she added, the herbal lozenges are sugar–free and low in calories which can be perfect for those who need to limit their sugar intake and watch their weight.

“There is no sugar added into the pills, so they should not affect users’ blood sugar levels,” Watoo said, adding that the product has gone through a tableting process on par with pharmaceutical quality standards.

The herbal lozenges are now in the process of being approved by the Food and Drug Administration and it is hoped they will soon be available on the market.

Watoo says the price will be affordable and possibly cheaper than similar products currently available.

By Thai PBS World