1. Varenicline
Varenicline has a receptor-dependent mechanism of action, acting as a partial agonist with low efficacy at the α4β2, α3β2, α34, and α6/α3β2β3 hybrid neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and as a full agonist with high efficacy at the α7 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. The functional potency of varenicline at α4β2 is 8 to 24 times that of α7 and α3β4. It has been reported that compared to α7 and α3β4, varenicline has a two orders of magnitude higher binding affinity than functional potency at α4β2, which may reflect the affinity for receptors in the desensitized state [80]. As a medication for treating tobacco dependence, the partial agonistic effect of varenicline at α4β2 is believed to promote smoking cessation by stimulating dopaminergic neurons, thereby improving tobacco cravings and nicotine withdrawal [80]. The partial antagonistic effect on α4β2 neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors can inhibit the binding of nicotine, leading to a reduction in the reward of smoking. Pharmacological studies in rats have shown that the relative agonist efficacy of varenicline is 40%–60% (compared to nicotine), and the relative antagonistic efficacy is 40%–55%.NRT Treatment
2. NRT Treatment
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a medication formulated in various ways that can be absorbed through the buccal mucosa (gum, lozenges, sublingual tablets, inhalers), nasal mucosa (spray), or skin (transdermal patches). Nicotine patches are worn on the body and passively deliver a dose of nicotine through the skin over time. They do not replace any behavioral aspects of smoking. In contrast, other types of NRT mimic some of the hand-to-mouth actions of smoking, provide oral alternatives, or both, and work faster but require more effort from the user. There are several different dosages of transdermal patches. They deliver 5 to 52.5 mg of nicotine over 24 hours, resulting in plasma levels similar to the lowest levels between two cigarettes for a heavy smoker. Some brands of patches are designed to be worn for 24 hours a day, while others are designed for 16 hours a day. Nicotine gum comes in two concentrations, 2 mg and 4 mg, and nicotine lozenges come in concentrations of 1 mg, 1.5 mg, 2 mg, and 4 mg. However, the amount of nicotine absorbed by the user is less than the original dose. The availability of NRT products as prescription or over-the-counter varies by country.
The purpose of NRT is to replace the nicotine intake that smokers would otherwise get from inhaling tobacco smoke, without the harmful elements in tobacco smoke other than nicotine. This reduces the motivation to smoke and the common physiological and psychological withdrawal symptoms often experienced during quitting, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful cessation. Nicotine undergoes metabolism in the liver, reducing the overall bioavailability of ingested nicotine. Products that produce sufficiently high levels of nicotine in the central nervous system may cause adverse gastrointestinal effects. This is why NRT is formulated to be absorbed through the skin or oral/nasal mucosa.
3. E-cigarettes
E-cigarettes are one of the most controversial products in the tobacco industry. E-cigarettes (e-cigarettes or vapes) are designed to heat and vaporize a mixture of plant glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine, and flavored additives, thereby providing nicotine through inhalation without combustion. E-cigarettes consist of a vaporizer that uses the current from the battery to heat a metal coil, vaporizing the "e-liquid" conducted to the coil through a wick usually made of cotton or silica from the reservoir. By pressing a button, the coil is heated, and the user will draw a puff from the device ("vapor"), transporting the aerosol to the oropharyngeal and respiratory system, resulting in a large number of particulate deposits with each puff. The carrier of nicotine in e-cigarettes is the e-liquid, which is a mixture of propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG) in different proportions. The nicotine concentration in these e-liquids can range from 0 to >50 mg/mL, and the actual content often deviates from the labeled declaration. In addition to nicotine, PG, and VG, these e-cigarette liquids also contain various flavored chemicals, ethanol, and water. As of 2014, there were more than 7,700 flavor combinations on the e-cigarette market.
4. HTP Devices
Heated tobacco products (HTP) are tobacco delivery devices that heat processed tobacco (contained in a stick, plug, or capsule) to produce an inhalable aerosol (240-350°C), with a temperature lower than combustible cigarettes (>600°C).
Heated tobacco products (HTP) are tobacco products that produce an aerosol containing nicotine and other chemicals, which are inhaled orally by the user. To produce nicotine-containing vapor, HTP uses a battery-powered heating system to heat the tobacco to 350°C (below the 700°C reached by traditional cigarettes). Different HTP devices use different heating sources, including electronic energy from batteries. The enclosed heating system can be an external heat source used to vaporize nicotine in specially designed cigarettes (such as IQOS and GLO) or a heating chamber used to vaporize nicotine directly from the tobacco leaves (such as ploomTECH).
5. WONZ Purify Bar
WONZ is an innovative AI powered purifying device that integrates intelligent heating temperature control platform technology, filtration adsorption system, and digital therapy design.
The WONZ Purify Bar is compatible with all standard cigarettes on the market, overcoming several blank technologies such as heating control, temperature curve, heat dissipation, and taste adjustment. It breaks through traditional limits from the basic principles to materials, structure, and software, achieving precise control of the temperature field. Its working principle is mainly based on intelligent variable temperature baking technology and filtration adsorption system.
Specifically, WONZ device controls the heating temperature through intelligent algorithms, thereby reducing the generation of harmful substances from the root. At the same time, the water vapor produced during the heating process carries nicotine and aroma components to the filter, which is further purified by the filter's adsorption system, ensuring that the user's mouthfeel is soft and pure, and significantly reducing the intake of tar and various harmful substances.
With this innovative multi-layer high-efficiency filtration system and precise heating technology, the harmful substance content in the smoke is significantly reduced, and no new chemical substances are produced during use. This technology not only provides a safer alternative close to the traditional smoking experience but also effectively reduces health risks. In addition, WONZ has developed a variety of sensors and IoT technologies to enhance the product's scene perception capabilities, including consumer-level easy-to-use high-precision CO sensors, overcoming the problems of high cost, clumsiness, unsuitability for clinical use and consumer carrying of traditional devices, providing users with a convenient self-test solution.
WONZ Technology is deeply involved in the field of digital health, focusing on the innovation and development of smoking cessation digital therapy. At present, WONZ has joined hands with the Respiratory Department/Smoking Cessation Clinic of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital of Capital Medical University to explore and practice cutting-edge smoking cessation solutions, and plans to introduce the professional smoking cessation service package of Chaoyang Hospital to provide more comprehensive and scientific smoking cessation support. In the integration of AI and intelligent device technology, WONZ has gathered top domestic AI scientists, intelligent hardware experts, and authoritative figures in the field of tobacco technology to jointly promote the intelligent and personalized upgrade of smoking cessation technology.
WONZ Technology has effectively applied various high-tech methods such as CBT, IoT, WHC, and AI to achieve digital connection of product links and users, dividing the smoking hazard into three stages of intelligent filtration, digital control, and scientific smoking cessation, corresponding to consumer-level harm reduction filter products and medical-level digital therapy products. A series of digital medical therapies, including nicotine addiction intervention and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) digital intervention, have been launched, which have shown obvious effects in curbing harmful substance exposure, alleviating withdrawal symptoms, and reducing nicotine craving. Currently, relevant academic papers have been published on the official website of the National Institutes of Health, and the relevant products are being declared for NMPA medical device certification and are defined as "physical therapy" devices.
