Raw research findings for this medication. Mostly single studies, not curated or confirmed robust.
Nicotine is the addictive substance in tobacco; as a medicine it is given in patches, gum, lozenges, inhalers and sprays (nicotine replacement therapy) to ease withdrawal and craving while people stop smoking. It activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the brain, releasing dopamine.
CYP2A6 breaks nicotine down into cotinine, and its gene varies a lot: people with low-activity versions, more common in East Asian populations, clear nicotine slowly. In studies, how fast a person clears nicotine (often measured as the nicotine metabolite ratio) has been linked to how many cigarettes they smoke and to which stop-smoking treatment worked better for them. The nicotinic receptor genes CHRNA5, CHRNA3 and CHRNB4 have also been linked to heavier smoking. There is no CPIC or DPWG guideline.
Every published finding on gene variants and Nicotine. Upload your DNA file to see which of these rows apply to you.
PharmGKB weighs all studies of a variant and rates how strong the evidence is, from 1A (strongest) to 4.
CYP2A6 CYP2A6*1, CYP2A6*1x2, CYP2A6*2, CYP2A6*4, CYP2A6*7, CYP2A6*9, CYP2A6*10, CYP2A6*11, CYP2A6*12, CYP2A6*13, CYP2A6*14, CYP2A6*15, CYP2A6*17, CYP2A6*19, CYP2A6*20, CYP2A6*23, CYP2A6*24, CYP2A6*25, CYP2A6*26, CYP2A6*27, CYP2A6*28, CYP2A6*35, CYP2A6*38, CYP2A6*39, CYP2A6*41, CYP2A6*46, CYP2A6*55: Level 1B · replicated. Metabolism/PK: Tobacco Use Disorder. 28.
CHRNA5 rs16969968: Level 2B · replicated. Toxicity: Tobacco Use Disorder. 17.
CHRNA5 rs16969968: Level 3. Efficacy: Tobacco Use Disorder. 7.
CHRNA3 rs578776: Level 3. Efficacy, Toxicity: Tobacco Use Disorder. 7.
Studies of how quickly the body processes this medication.
rs113288603: Allele T is associated with decreased clearance of nicotine as compared to allele C.
rs12459249: Allele C is associated with decreased metabolism of nicotine as compared to allele T.
rs12461964: Allele A is associated with decreased clearance of nicotine as compared to allele G.
CHRNA3 rs1051730: Allele A is associated with increased dose of nicotine as compared to allele G.
Studies of how well it worked in people carrying a variant.
Studies of how much of the drug people needed or tolerated.
Studies that do not fall into the groups above.
Study findings and evidence levels: PharmGKB (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guidelines: CPIC and DPWG, as bundled in PharmCAT. Most studies were done mainly in people of European ancestry.
More drugs from the same category
Not a prescribing recommendation. This page is educational information about pharmacogenomic research and clinical guidelines - it is not medical or dosing advice, and not a prediction of how any medication will work for you. Never start, stop, or change a medication or dose based on it; talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can order clinical-grade testing if appropriate.
Content updated September 2026.
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