Compound Monograph
Cytisine
Cytisine is a quinolizidine alkaloid from broom and laburnum that acts on nicotinic receptors and is used as a smoking-cessation aid.
Classification
Cytisine is a quinolizidine alkaloid, part of the alkaloids class. Nitrogen-containing, often bitter and physiologically potent compounds — the group behind many of the strongest plant medicines and poisons.
Where Does It Come From? (4)
Cytisine is a naturally occurring quinolizidine alkaloid, found in Broom, Golden chain / laburnum and 2 other sources. It is flagged as toxic.
Research & Evidence
Cytisine is a quinolizidine alkaloid found in plants of the legume family, including broom and the seeds of laburnum. It is a partial agonist at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, acting on the same receptor as nicotine. Because of this action it has long been used, particularly in parts of Central and Eastern Europe, as a low-cost smoking-cessation aid, and it has been investigated in clinical research for that purpose.
Toxicity & Safety
Cytisine is toxic in overdose, and laburnum seeds in particular are a recognised cause of poisoning, especially in children. Symptoms of poisoning resemble nicotinic toxicity and can include nausea, vomiting, sweating, headache, rapid heartbeat and, in severe cases, convulsions and respiratory difficulty. Even where it is used therapeutically, it is taken under defined dosing schedules; the source plants should be treated as poisonous.