Skip to content

Effectiveness of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) in Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Nicotine Addiction

Effectiveness of N-Acetylcysteine in Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Nicotine Addiction: Study on the Dopaminergic Pathways, Changes in Functional Connectivity of fMRI Bold, and Changes in Smoking Abstinence

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05903014
Enrollment
90
Registered
2023-06-15
Start date
2023-01-01
Completion date
2023-12-30
Last updated
2024-10-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Nicotine Addiction, Nicotine Dependence

Keywords

Nicotine Dependence; Nicotine Addiction; NAC

Brief summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the effectiveness of the combination of n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy on laboratory improvement in the form of changes in blood nicotine, radiological changes in the form of nerve connectivity on post-therapy frontostriatal fMRI examination and clinical changes in the form of abstinence, withdrawal symptoms and cravings in adult smoker.

Detailed description

The main question it aims to answer are: Obtain the effectiveness of combination of n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy compared to a combination of motivational enhancement therapy and placebo on nicotine withdrawal symptom scores on nicotine addiction. Obtaining the effectiveness of the combination of n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy compared to the combination of motivational enhancement therapy and placebo on craving symptom scores on nicotine addiction. Obtain the effectiveness of giving a combination of n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy compared to a combination of motivational enhancement therapy and placebo in the incidence of abstinence in nicotine addiction. Obtain the effectiveness of combination n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy compared to a combination of motivational enhancement therapy and placebo on blood nicotine levels in nicotine addiction. Obtain the effectiveness of combination n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy compared to a combination of motivational enhancement therapy and placebo on n-acetylaspartate levels in the brain in nicotine addiction. Obtain the effectiveness of combination n-acetylcysteine and motivational enhancement therapy compared to a combination of motivational enhancement therapy and placebo on glutamate levels in the brain on nicotine addiction. Obtain an overview of nerve connectivity in nicotine addiction patient through post-therapy frontostriatal fMRI examination. Evaluate the side effects and severe side effects of NAC administration on nicotine addiction. Participants will: Get blood testing for nicotine in 1st, 6th and 12th weeks Fill the QSU-Brief, MTWS questionnaire every 2 weeks for 12 weeks Get motivational enhancement therapy every 2 weeks for 12 weeks Get fMRI in the 12th week Consume 3600 mg n-acetylcysteine for 12 consecutive weeks (for treatment group) and placebo (for control group) Researchers will compare the laboratory, clinical and radiology improvement in both groups

Interventions

DRUGn-acetylcysteine

we give 3600 mg n-acetylcysteine divided twice a day, for 12 weeks

BEHAVIORALMotivational Enhancement Therapy

Motivational enhancement therapy with individual and/or group session to maintain and increase subject's motivation to quit smoking

Sponsors

Indonesia University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

1. Male or female who are active smokers are at least 18 years old and decide to stop smoking 2. Using tobacco cigarettes whether filtered or not 3. Active smoker for at least 6 months 4. Smoke at least 10 cigarettes per day 5. Currently in the preparation or action stage at the stage of changes 6. Able to follow instructions and research procedures

Exclusion criteria

Have/ suspected to have a systemic medical disorder or psychiatric disorder requiring acute management Currently using electronic cigarettes Currently using oral glucocorticoids Have an acute gastrointestinal ulcer Pregnant or breastfeeding or planning to become pregnant within the next 6 months Currently consume n-acetylcysteine Have a history of allergic reactions with n-acetylcysteine or its components Get therapy to stop smoking such as bupropion, varenicline or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Score of Withdrawal Symptomsweek 2Score is assessed with Minnesota Tobacco Withdrawal Scale Questionnaire. Scale: 0-32. Higher score means higger withdrawal symtomps
Rate of Abstinenceweek 2number of patient that have been quick smoking at a specific period of time
Score of Craving Symptomsweek 2Score is assessed with Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urges Questionnaire. Higher score means higher urgency to smoke. Scale: 10-70
level of glutamate in Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) studyweek 12level of glutamate in Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) study
Level of blood nicotineweek 6Level of blood nicotine
level of n-acetylaspartate in Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) studyweek 12level of n-acetylaspartate in Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) study

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Side Effect of n-acetylcysteine consumptionevery 2 weeks for 12 weeksSide Effect of n-acetylcysteine consumption

Countries

Indonesia

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026