Structure via PubChem · Public domain (PubChem)
varenicline
Sign in to saveAlso known as Chantix, CP-526,555, 6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-6,10-methano-6H-pyrazino(2,3-h)benzazepine, Champix
Varenicline, sold under the brand names Chantix and Champix among others, is a medication used for smoking cessation and for the treatment of dry eye syndrome. It is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist. When activated, this receptor leads to the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, the brain's reward center, thereby reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms with smoking cessation, although less pronounced than a full agonist (e.g. nicotine).
Key facts
- Drug.ATC_suffix
- BA03
- Drug.legal_AU
- S4
- Drug.Verifiedfields
- changed
- Drug.Watchedfields
- changed
- Drug.verifiedrevid
- 470629155
- Drug.image
- Varenicline.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.width
- 190px
- Drug.image2
- VARENICLINE_3D_BALL-AND-STICK.png
- Drug.width2
- 192
- Drug.tradename
- Champix, Chantix, Tyrvaya, others
- Drug.MedlinePlus
- a606024
- Drug.licence_EU
- yes
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Varenicline
- Drug.pregnancy_AU
- B3
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- By mouth, intranasal
- Drug.class
- Nicotinic agonist
via Wikipedia infobox
Chemical data
- Formula
- C13H13N3
- Molecular weight
- 211.26 g/mol
- IUPAC name
- (1S,12R)-5,8,14-triazatetracyclo[10.3.1.02,11.04,9]hexadeca-2,4,6,8,10-pentaene
- SMILES
- C1[C@@H]2CNC[C@H]1C3=CC4=NC=CN=C4C=C23
- InChIKey
- JQSHBVHOMNKWFT-DTORHVGOSA-N
- XLogP
- 0.8
- Polar surface area
- 37.8 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 1
- H-bond acceptors
- 3
- Formal charge
- 0
via PubChem
Research
2,768 papers- Varenicline for Youth Nicotine Vaping Cessation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA · 2025
- Neuropsychiatric safety and efficacy of varenicline, bupropion, and nicotine patch in smokers with and without psychiatric disorders (EAGLES): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2016
- Varenicline Solution Nasal Spray: A Review in Dry Eye Disease.Drugs · 2022
- Smoking Cessation After Initial Treatment Failure With Varenicline or Nicotine Replacement: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA · 2024
- Smoking cessation pharmacotherapy; varenicline or bupropion?Daru : journal of Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences · 2024
via PubMed
~6 min read
Encyclopedic overview
10 sectionsContents
- Medical uses
- Side effects
- Depression and suicide
- Cardiovascular disease
- Pharmacology
- Mechanism of action
- Pharmacokinetics
- History
- References
- External links
Varenicline, sold under the brand names Chantix and Champix among others, is a medication used for smoking cessation and for the treatment of dry eye syndrome. It is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist. When activated, this receptor leads to the release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, the brain's reward center, thereby reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms with smoking cessation, although less pronounced than a full agonist (e.g. nicotine).
Common side effects include nausea, insomnia, abnormal dreams, headache, and nasopharyngitis (inflammation of the nose and throat). Despite these potential adverse effects, varenicline has proven efficacy in helping individuals quit smoking. It is estimated that approximately one in eleven smokers who use varenicline successfully remain abstinent from tobacco at six months.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “varenicline” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.