A new herbal formulation which causes aversion from smoking cigarettes has shown very encouraging results.

Named as ActiQuit (available at http://www.givingup-smoking.co.uk), this solution has been developed by a consultant who gave up practice a year ago to become a first generation entrepreneur.
The dedicated product developer, who had got the product tested for acute toxicity on rats, says the reports suggest that administration of single oral dose to rats showed no signs of toxicity.

Encouraged by this, he went ahead with regular production and currently, the product is being marketed worldwide. Interestingly, the product is proving to be a great success wherever it has been tried and launched.

The product effect is instantaneous from day one. Take eight drops in the mouth and swirl thoroughly for two minutes before swallowing them is all one needs to do.

While other sprays and mouth freshners change the taste of the whole mouth, these drops change taste of only tobacco. Duration of treatment is also shorter with two to three weeks against two to three months in the case of using nicotine patches and chewing gums.

Besides affecting taste of tobacco, it also stops stimulation from nicotine, reduces craving for consumption of tobacco and reduces anxiety.

A deputy manager in a State Bank, who has been using this solution for a month now finds it quite effective. ‘‘I used to consume tobacco but after using these drops, the consumption has dropped to 50 per cent,’’ he says. He also adds that ‘‘I think I will be able to kick the habit out soon.’’

A cancer surgeon has been instrumental in introducing the drug to tobacco-users. ‘‘This replacement for tobacco can free an addict from using tobacco…this is a wonderful molecule that replaces tobacco with no side effect,’’ he says. He says that it gives all the effects of tobacco like mood elevation and kick but without any carcinogenic effect.

Dr A Dave, active in tobacco and drug de-addiction for the past nine years, has administered these drops to over 300 patients at various de-addiction camps. ‘‘A majority of them gave up the habit because the treatment was given combined with psychotherapy and counselling,’’ he said.

He feels that for the sake of better promotion, the product should be promoted on a larger scale by doctors and word of mouth instead of selling it over the counter. ‘‘There is no single molecule in allopathy that causes aversion to tobacco like this one,’’ he said.

This formulation has been received well in various countries around the world.

A director of a prominent pharmaceutical company, has said the product is good but extra efforts would be required to pursue people to use it. ‘‘Wherever I have given the samples, the response was good,’’ he said.