Objective: 

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in serum beta endorphin, serotonin, adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine levels during smoking cessation with acupuncture and nicotine patch.

Methods: 

This study consisted of 42 volunteer applying to quit smoking to the Outpatient Clinic of Family Medicine at Selcuk University, Meram Faculty of Medicine. Forty-two volunteers were divided in two groups; 1. Electroacupuncture (EA) application group (n=21) and training for smoking cessation, 2) Nicotine patch (NP) application group (n=21) and training for smoking cessation. Electroacupuncture sessions were performed once a day in the first three days and then once every other day for 30 days. The serum beta endorphin, serotonin, adrenaline, nor adrenaline, dopamine levels were measured before and after acupuncture and nicotine patch therapy.

Results: 

In the EA group, it was determined that beta endorphin (p=0.000), serotonin (p=0.009), adrenaline (p=0.007) and nor adrenaline (p=0.007) levels increased but dopamine (p=0.898) levels did not change. In the NP group, serum serotonin (p=0.045) levels increased but adrenaline (p=0.318), noradrenaline (p=0.099) and dopamine (p=0.655) levels did not change. There were increases in serum noradrenaline (p<0.000), dopamin (p<0.028) levels in EA compared with the NP group.

Conclusions: 

It is presumed that increased serum beta endorphin, serotonin, noradrenaline and adrenaline levels with EA application and similarly increased serotonin level following nicotin patch application facilitates to quit smoking for those trying to give up smoking by psychological support. As a result there was no statistically difference between the two groups of smoking cessation, therefore both electroacupuncture and nicotin patch applications are effective almost at the same rate.