The active ingredient in the drug with the brand name Zyban is Bupropion Hcl. The Zyban is a sustained release tablet and hence when consuming this tablet it should not be crushed, chewed or split. It should be taken as a whole. Zyban is used in the treatment of patients who want to quit smoking. This drug is not related in nicotine in anyway chemically although it is used in the treatment of smoking cessation. With a bitter taste the Bupropion Hcl is a white crystalline powder that is soluble in water. An anesthesia sensation will be there in mouth while taken orally. This table is sold in 150 mg strength and these tablets are film-coated and sustained release drugs. The inactive ingredients in this drug includes magnesium stearate, carnauba wax, polysorbate 80 microcrystalline cellulose, titanium dioxide, cysteine hcl, polyethylene glycol and hypromellose.
Recommendations
In adults the maximum dosage of Zyban is only 300 mg / day. However this dosage is split into two 150 mg / day dosage and given to the patients. Each dosage is separated by at least 8 hours duration. Although 300 mg / day is the maximum allowed, initially the patients are given only 150 mg / day for about 3 days and then the dosage is increased to 300 mg / day as two doses of 150 mg. Take the tablet as a whole without crushing it or chewing it or even splitting it. The patient need not stop smoking while taking this drug but after one week of taking this medication, the patient can set a target date to quit smoking. This target date should be within the first two weeks of taking this drug. By the second week the patient will usually quit smoking. Usually after 12 weeks the patient quits smoking and they can discontinue the medication. If the patient does not get the idea of quitting smoking even after the 7th week there is no point in continuing the treatment and this treatment can be discontinued.
Precautions
The person who takes this drug might be subjected to depression and might even attempt suicide. A depressed mood that is result of nicotine withdrawal might occur in some patients. If neuropsychiatric symptoms are found in the patients they should stop taking Zyban.