CN1247720A - Herbal products used as tobacco substitutes and methods for quitting smoking - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a herbal product which can be used as a substitute for tobacco products, which is helpful for quitting smoking and provides beneficial effects of nutrition and physiology, and a method for quitting smoking.

Description

Herbal products used as tobacco substitutes and methods for quitting smoking

The invention relates to a herbal product, its use, and a method for quitting tobacco smoking. The herbal product of the present invention can be used as a substitute for tobacco products, helps smoking cessation, and provides nutritional and physiological beneficial effects.

Tobacco smoking remains the greatest threat to public health in today's society. It is well known that tobacco smoking, mainly due to nicotine intake, is indisputably responsible for lung disease, especially lung cancer, and significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke, sudden death , aortic aneurysm and peripheral vascular disease. Tobacco smoking is reported to be responsible for over three million deaths per year worldwide (R. Peto et al., Br. Med. Bull, 52: 12-21 (1996)).

Other possible health risks from tobacco smoking include stomach ulcers, cataracts, and reduced fertility and osteoporosis in women. In addition, tobacco has been established to be harmful to pregnancy, with effects including miscarriage, stillbirth, spontaneous miscarriage, hemorrhage, and premature rupture of the amniotic membranes.

In addition to the smoker himself, the people around him are also affected by the adverse effects of smoking. Environmental tobacco hazards have been identified as a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Therefore, anti-tobacco groups are formed all over the world, and regulations on smoking prevention and control are formulated. Smokers therefore face great social pressure in addition to health hazards.

Although smokers are aware of the dangers of smoking tobacco, most find it extremely difficult to quit. One of the causes of failure to quit smoking is the withdrawal symptoms caused by the sudden cessation of nicotine intake, which include restlessness, irritability, insomnia, inability to concentrate and weight gain. Nicotine replacement therapy has been proposed to alleviate the aforementioned symptoms to help smokers who want to stop their smoking habit. Products used for this purpose include nicotine transdermal patches, nicotine gum, nicotine nasal spray and nicotine inhalers. These replacement therapies have all been shown to be effective in the treatment of smoking cessation.

However, tobacco smokers are known to associate the effects of nicotine intake with specific situations and environmental stimuli, such as the positive effects of nicotine, such as pleasure, excitement, and relaxation, and the elimination of negative emotions, such as Anxiety, urgency, anger, irritability, and depression. Thus, lighting, smoking, and even chewing of the mouthpiece feature heavily in the satisfaction that smoking tobacco provides. Studies have shown that smokers who smoke nicotine-free cigarettes do report satisfaction and relieve withdrawal symptoms.

Stimulation of smell is different from stimulation of other senses. The stimulation does not have to go through the cerebral cortex, but acts directly on the limbic system. Thus, olfactory stimuli can directly stimulate emotional responses without rational judgment. Patients with anosmia have complications of taste disturbance and loss of appetite. In addition, they are more depressed, withdrawn, and prone to memory loss.

Aromatherapy has become more and more popular in recent years. However, scents have been used for different purposes for thousands of years. For example, traditional Chinese medicine knows to burn herbs to treat diseases or enhance physiological functions. Since ancient times, the Chinese have used the fumigation of sandalwood to achieve calming and anti-inhibitory effects, and used rosemary for anesthesia.

Likewise, Westerners extract essential oils from the flowers, leaves, bark and/or seeds of herbal plants. The aromas and/or molecules released by inhalation (sometimes by fumigation) of essential oils are believed to have therapeutic value, such as reducing psychological, emotional, physical and environmental stress. In addition, essential oils are used as massage or bath oils for conditioning, beauty and/or relaxation.

The medicinal benefits of herbs used in aromatherapy and the active ingredients they contain to produce these effects have been confirmed by research. See, eg, N. Paster et al., J. of Food Protection, 58(1):81-85 (1994); Research Review, Herbal Gram No. 39.19; Research Review, Herbal Gram No. 39.21; A. Sivropoulou et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 43: 2384-2388 (1995); and K. Samejima et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 43: 4410-414 (1995). The entire contents of these documents and relevant parts thereof are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

Despite this, there have been no recommendations for the use of aromatherapy in tobacco substitutes and abstainers.

Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's Disease, AD) is a progressive premature aging psychiatric disorder with chronic symptoms and severe neurodegeneration. It is easy to rapidly evolve into dementia. Leading cause of dementia in adulthood. According to statistics, there are currently about 2.5 million people suffering from AD in the US and Canada. With the increasing aging population, it is expected that the impact of AD on public health will continue to increase. Therefore, it is urgent to develop effective therapeutic agents for AD.

The report pointed out that the production of neurotransmitters in the brain of AD patients has decreased, especially acetylcholine and receptors. Therefore, agents that increase the production of these receptors are believed to be effective in the treatment of AD.

The object of the present invention is a nicotine-free substitute for tobacco products.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a nicotine-free product that can help tobacco smokers quit smoking.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide nicotine-free products that have beneficial effects on tobacco smokers.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method for quitting tobacco smoking.

Surprisingly, the object of the present invention can be achieved by replacing tobacco in tobacco-related products with herbs or mixtures of herbs conventionally used in aromatherapy.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a herbal product comprising herbs or mixtures of herbs conventionally used in aromatherapy. The herbal product of the invention does not contain nicotine, so it is suitable as a substitute for tobacco products.

As used herein, "tobacco product" or "traditional tobacco product" refers to any traditional product of the tobacco plant intended to be smoked by combustion. Examples of such articles include, but are not limited to, regular cigarettes and nicotine-reduced cigarettes, cigars, shredded tobacco, and the like. Therefore, the term "tobacco product substitutes" herein refers to products used to replace regular cigarettes and nicotine-removed cigarettes, cigars, shredded tobacco and the like that are used by tobacco smokers.

Any herbal species conventionally used in aromatherapy are suitable for use in the present invention. Examples of such herbs include, but are not limited to, clove, gorse, licorice, jasmine, maple, ginkgo, lettuce, beet, loquat, tea, ginseng, chamomile, cinnamon, peppermint, sagebrush, thyme, striata, lavender, eucalyptus and the like. The herbal product of the present invention can use a single herbal species or a mixture of different herbal medicines. Examples of herbal blends include, but are not limited to:

Materia Medica % Materia Medica %

Clove 10-20 Ginseng Leaf 5-10

Gorse 10-20 Jasmine 10-20

Licorice 5-10 Licorice 10-20

Jasmine 10-20 Sweet Tea 5-10

Ginkgo 5-10 Loquat 5-10

Lettuce 10-20 Tea 5-10

Ginseng leaves 5-10 Chamomile 10-20

Peppermint 20-30

Materia Medica % Materia Medica %

Cinnamon 10-20 Ginkgo 5-10

Thyme 10-20 Maple 10-20

Rosemary 5-10 Lettuce 10-20

Lavender 5-10 Beet 5-10

Eucalyptus 5-10 Thyme 10-20

Mint 5-10 Rosemary 10-20

Ginseng 10-20 Lavender 5-10

Jasmine 10-20

Materia Medica % Materia Medica %

Licorice 5-10 Thyme 10-20

Cinnamon 10-20 Rosemary 10-20

Sagebrush 5-10 Loquat 10-20

Thyme 10-20 Ginseng 10-20

Rosemary 10-20 Lettuce 10-20

Eucalyptus 5-10 Jasmine 5-10

Ginseng 5-10 Licorice 5-10

Gorse 10-20

The herbal product of the present invention can be manufactured using traditional methods. In general, the whole plant or parts thereof are chopped and/or shredded after drying, or may be chopped and/or shredded and then dried. Suitable parts of herbal medicines include, but are not limited to, flowers, fruits, stems, leaves and the like. The dried, chopped and/or julienned herbs are then seasoned and roasted in the traditional way. Then, if cigarettes or cigars are to be manufactured, the shredded and/or shredded herb is wrapped in the lumen of the combustible wrap to create a tubular product.

The present invention advantageously utilizes combustible wraps traditionally used to wrap cigarettes, such as wood pulp paper. However, combustible coverings made of other natural fibres, such as flax, may also be used. In addition, in order to reduce the side effects caused by additives in traditional covering paper, such as heavy metals and fluorescent agents, unbleached covering paper can be used. To create a cigar substitute, the wrapping used needs to mimic the look of a traditional cigar.

In order to increase consumer acceptance, the herbal products of the present invention can be prepared with reference to traditional tobacco products, such as thick smoke, normal smoke, light smoke and cold smoke. In addition, the herbal products of the present invention may be flavored to emulate commercially successful tobacco brands.

For enhanced effect, the extracted essential oils may be added to the herbal products of the present invention which contain herbs or mixtures of herbs with different flavors.

Although not intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that the smoke released by burning the herbal product of the present invention or the molecules contained therein can be absorbed by the nasal or oral mucosa and quickly bind to the nicotine affinity receptors of the nervous system. Binding to nicotine receptors produces the positive physiological response of nicotine ingestion without the associated side effects.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of cessation of tobacco smoking which comprises binding substances released from burning a herb or mixture of herbs to acetylcholine receptors.

In addition, the actions of lighting, smoking and/or mouth chewing together with the stimulation of nasal and oral mucosa can satisfy tobacco smokers' psychological dependence on tobacco smoking. Therefore, the herbal product of the present invention can be used as a tobacco product substitute for smokers who want to continue smoking without endangering their health.

Smokers of traditional tobacco products will produce nicotine rejection reaction after smoking the herbal product of the present invention for a period of time. Although not intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that this phenomenon is due to the lack of nicotine stimulation, which causes the receptors with affinity to nicotine to gradually decline and eventually disappear. In addition, it is also believed that the taste buds on the tongues of tobacco smokers remarkably restore their original sensitivity after smoking the product of the present invention, and that the taste buds with good function make the smokers repel the smell of tobacco.

Therefore, the herbal product of the present invention can further help smokers of tobacco products who want to stop smoking permanently to stop smoking without producing withdrawal symptoms.

Once deciding to use the herbal product of the present invention to replace traditional tobacco products or stop smoking, smokers can immediately and completely replace their usual tobacco products with the herbal product of the present invention. Alternatively, an incremental approach may be employed in which traditional tobacco products are gradually replaced with the herbal products of the present invention. That is to say, at the beginning, a small amount of the herbal substitute of the present invention can be used to replace the traditional product, such as one stick, and then gradually increase the number of daily intake of the substitute of the present invention until the daily quantity that the smoker is used to sucking is completely replaced by the substitute of the present invention. replaced. In addition, the substitute of the present invention can also be used alternately with traditional tobacco products. For addicts who are accustomed to smoking a specific brand or flavor of cigarette products, sudden changes in the tobacco products they smoke may cause a strong sense of psychological rejection. Therefore, it is better to use gradual or alternating replacement methods.

It is known that smokers who are used to a particular brand need an average of 120 traditional cigarettes to get used to a new brand. To make addicts who are used to smoking specific brands or flavors accept the herbal substitute of the present invention, the required quantity is relatively small.

Surprisingly, addicts who are used to smoking cold tobacco have an average rejection of tobacco after smoking about 10 sticks of the herbal substitute of the present invention; those who are accustomed to light smoke have the same feeling after smoking about 15 sticks of the herbal substitute of the present invention ; and habitual smokers, about 5.

If you want to stop smoking, ex-smokers can stop smoking when they no longer have the desire to smoke. If in a short period of time there is a smoking craving again, such as a smoking craving caused by physiological dependence, the herbal product of the present invention can be used as a substitute for the traditional herbal product that is used to smoking.

Since the herbs used in the present invention are conventionally used in aromatherapy, burning the herbal products of the invention can readily generate aromas or molecules known to have beneficial effects. In addition, the herbs used provide specific nutrients themselves. Therefore, in addition to tobacco substitution and withdrawal effects, the herbal product of the present invention also provides nutritional and physiological effects.

Obviously, the additional effects provided by the herbal products of the present invention will vary depending on the herb or mixture of herbs used. The following effects are for illustration only: Chamomile can release apigenin, which has anti-anxiety, anti-depressant, pain-relieving, anti-allergic, anti-itching and immune-enhancing effects; glycyrrhizin contained in licorice can strengthen liver function, reduce Cholesterol prevents arteriosclerosis, and can be used as antidote, anti-ulcer agent, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory agent and expectorant; It is known that the menthol contained in peppermint can relieve pain, anesthesia, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, detumescence, Expectorant, stomach, antipyretic and sweating; eugenol contained in cloves is known to be analgesic, anesthesia, antipyretic, anti-ulcer, anti-worm, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-tuberculosis, anti-asthma and treatment Bronchitis; it is known that the thymol contained in thyme can strengthen lung function, protect the respiratory system, prevent bronchitis and rheumatism, relieve pain and invigorate the spirit; and the jasmone contained in jasmine can adjust mood, calm, relieve pain and Balance hormones.

Furthermore, it is believed that the smoke released by the herbal product of the present invention (or the molecules contained therein) has an affinity for acetylcholine receptors, which can activate brain cells by increasing neurotransmitters and receptors in brain cells, And further improve the memory and cognitive ability of AD patients, for example.

The present invention is further illustrated by the following examples, but these examples are not limitations of the present invention.

Example 1

                              

Chop dried cinnamon, thyme, rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, ginseng and jasmine to size. Take an appropriate amount of crushed herbs and mix to obtain a mixture with the following composition:

Materia Medica %

cinnamon 7

Thyme 18

Rosemary 8

Lavender 7

Eucalyptus 9

Mint 20

Ginseng 15

Jasmine 16

After seasoning and baking to set the taste, wrap the mixture with flax paper to obtain a tubular herbal product.

Example 2

The nutritional analysis of the herbal roll product made by nutritional analysis embodiment 1 is as follows: items Content (mg/100g) Potassium (K) 3437 Calcium (Ca) 788.41 Magnesium (Mg) 1228 Iron (Fe) 33.79 Zinc (Zn) 2.83 Vitamin A 1778 Vitamin B2 3.01 Vitamin C 31.76 Vitamin E 3.94 Vitamin B1 0.26

Example 3

Nicotine rejection

The subjects were addicts with an average smoking age of more than 10 years and who smoked at least 20 cigarettes in 24 hours a day. Subjects had attempted to quit smoking at least twice in the three years prior to the trial, but were unsuccessful prior to the trial. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the taste of the cigarettes they smoked: traditional heavy smoke group, light smoke group and cold smoke group. During the test period, the subjects chose to smoke the rolled herbal products made in Example 1 and the traditional cigarettes they used to according to their own free will and smoking habits. The subjects were asked to record how they felt when they smoked at least one herbal rolled product, and the number of consecutive herbal rolled products they smoked before resuming traditional cigarettes. Nicotine rejection is defined as the unpleasant sensation, taste, and taste of a traditional cigarette to which the subject was previously accustomed, such that the subject no longer desires to smoke it.

It was found that 80% of the subjects in the heavy smoking group began to reject nicotine after smoking about 5 herbal rolled products in a row; 75% of the subjects in the light smoking group smoked about 15 herbal rolled products in a row After smoking about 20 herbal products, about 73% of the subjects in the cold tobacco group had the same reaction.

Example 4

The smoking cessation program helps a 20-cigarette-a-day addict replace or quit tobacco use in the following ways: sky Number of Herbal Rolls number of traditional cigarettes 1 5 15 2 6 14 3 7 13 4 8 12 5 10 10 6 12 8 7 14 6 8 16 4 9 18 2 10 20 0 11 20 0 12 20 0 13 20 0 14 20 * ^* Subjects with nicotine rejection successfully replaced traditional cigarettes with herbal products of the present invention, or stopped smoking.

Claims (5)

Claims 1. A nicotine-free tobacco product substitute comprising a herb or herbal blend conventionally used in aromatherapy. 2. The tobacco product substitute according to claim 1, wherein the herb is selected from the group consisting of clove, gorse, licorice, jasmine, maple, ginkgo, lettuce, beet, loquat, tea, ginseng, chamomile, cinnamon, mint, Set of mugwort, thyme, rosemary, lavender, eucalyptus. 3. A tobacco product substitute according to claim 1 or 2, which is used for smoking cessation. 4. A tobacco product substitute according to claim 1 or 2, which provides nutritionally and/or physiologically useful effects. 5. A method for quitting tobacco smoking, which comprises binding to acetylcholine receptors the substances released from burning herbs or mixtures of herbs.