Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: St. John's Wort for Tobacco Cessation
Brief Summary: After a steady decline for the last 50 years, the prevalence of tobacco use in the United States has reached a plateau of approximately 23%. Currently available treatments among adults are expensive and not efficacious for all tobacco users. New pharmacologic agents need to be developed and tested to achieve the Healthy People 2010 goal of less than a 12% adult tobacco use prevalence.

Bupropion, an FDA approved agent for tobacco cessation, acts by inhibiting central synaptosomal reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine. A widely used herbal antidepressant, St. John's Wort (SJW), shares a similar mechanism of action and is effective for treating mild to moderate depression. SJW is well tolerated, available over the counter, and is significantly less expensive than the established treatments for tobacco dependence.

To date, no prospective clinical trial evaluating the efficacy of SJW for the treatment of tobacco use has been published. We propose to evaluate the efficacy of SJW for increasing tobacco abstinence and decreasing nicotine withdrawal symptoms in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, three-arm, parallel group, dose-ranging clinical trial. Participants (N=120) will be randomly assigned to one of the three groups and will receive a twelve-week course of SJW 900 mg per day, 1800 mg per day, or a matching placebo.

This study is anticipated to provide the data needed to develop a larger randomized controlled clinical trial submitted through the R01 funding mechanism.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Inclusion Criteria are:

  1. DSM-IV diagnosis of Schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
  2. Age: 18-64
  3. Regular half pack a day smokers
  4. Score of at least 4 on the Nicotine Dependency Test

     Exclusion Criteria:

     Exclusion Criteria are:

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  1. Seizure disorders, other Neurologic illnesses, or a family history of seizures
  2. A medical condition that could manifest psychiatrically
  3. Currently experiencing a depressive episode
  4. Active substance abuse
  5. Currently receiving bupropion
  6. Pregnant women
  7. Children (\<18 years of age)
  8. Two consecutive sodium levels of 130 mmol/L or less
B: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Has signed the ICF and is able to read and understand the information provided in the ICF.
2. Is 21 to 65 years of age (inclusive) at screening.
3. Smokes at least 10 commercially available cigarettes per day (no brand restrictions), for the last 12 months.
4. Has an expired air CO reading of at least 10 ppm at screening.
5. Is interested in switching to an electronic cigarette.
6. Is willing and able to comply with the requirements of the study.
7. Owns a smartphone with text message and data capabilities compatible with necessary surveys.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Is unhealthy or cannot participate in the study for any reason (e.g., medical, psychiatric, and/or social reason) as judged by the Investigator or designated medical staff based on all available assessments from the screening period (e.g., safety laboratory, vital signs, physical examination, ECG, concomitant medications and medical history).
2. Has a PHQ-9 score greater than 9, or a score greater than 0 on item #9 ("Thoughts that you would be better off dead, or of hurting yourself in some way") at screening.
3. Has plans to use an FDA-approved smoking cessation product during the study.
4. Has high blood pressure (systolic \> 150 mmHg or diastolic \>95 mmHg) at screening.
5. Has body mass index (BMI) less than 15.0 kg/m2 or greater than 40.0 kg/m2.
6. Has coronary heart disease, structural cardiac disease (including, but not limited to valvular heart disease or cardiac murmurs), cardiac dysrhythmias, syncope, cardiac chest pain, or history of heart attack or heart failure.
7. Has received psychotherapy or behavioral treatments potentially impacting symptoms of depression, anxiety, or nicotine withdrawal within 30 days of screening, or during the study.
8. Is taking antidepressants, psychoactive medications (e.g. antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, hypnotics) or medications that prolong QTc.
9. Has used any of these products in the past 30 days:

   1. Illegal drugs (or if the urine drug screen is positive for cocaine, THC, amphetamines, methamphetamines, or opiates);
   2. Experimental (investigational) drugs that are unknown to participant;
   3. Chronic opiate use.
10. Has used smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff), cigars (except for "Black \& Mild" cigars or Cigarillos), pipes, hookah, e-cigarettes, nicotine replacement therapy or other smoking cessation treatments within 14 days of screening.
11. Has a plan to use an FDA-approved quit-smoking treatment in the next 30 days.
12. Is pregnant or nursing (by self-report) or has a positive pregnancy test.
13. Enrollment requirements met.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 18-64
* Regular ten cigarette per day smoker for one year
* Nicotine Dependency Score greater than or equal to four
* DSM-IV Diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder
* Psychiatric medication regimen unchanged for at least 90 days
* Psychiatric medication dosage unchanged for at least 30 days

Exclusion Criteria:

* Psychiatric hospitalization in last 6 months
* Meets criteria for current Major Depressive Disorder or has a score of greater than 10 on the Calgary Depression Scale (see withdrawal criteria)
* Suicide or homicide ideation with a plan in the last six months
* Life time history of suicide attempt
* Has had a diagnosis of Schizophrenia or Schizoaffective disorder for less than three years
* Current treatment with Bupropion SR
* DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol or substance dependence within last 6 months\*
* DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol or substance abuse within three months \*
* Pregnancy or lactation in females (+HCG)
* Use of tobacco product other than cigarettes
* Use of nicotine replacements
* Unstable or serious medical condition in last 6 months
* Regular use of cimetidine (OTC or Rx) \*Substance abuse/dependency exclusions do not apply to abuse of or dependence on nicotine.
D: A total of 120 subjects will be recruited in the study. Subjects will be eligible to participate if they:

1. Are at least 18 years of age;
2. Smoked more than10 cigarettes/day for the past one year;
3. Willing to make a quit attempt;
4. Able to participate fully in all aspects of the study; and
5. Have been provided with, understand, and have signed the informed consent.

Individuals will be excluded from study participation if they:

1. Meet diagnostic criteria for current major depressive disorder or lifetime history of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Patients with mild or moderate depressive symptoms \[Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition \&#8804; 28\], but who do not meet current diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder, will be included;
2. Are currently (within past 30 days) using antipsychotics or antidepressants;
3. Are currently (in previous 30 days) using any treatments for tobacco dependence (i.e., behavioral therapy, nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion SR, clonidine, or nortriptyline);
4. Have used an investigational drug within the 30 days prior to enrolling in this study;
5. Have ever used an herbal product for tobacco cessation;
6. Have recent history (in the past 3 months) of alcohol abuse or dependence as assessed by the CAGE questionnaire and study investigators;
7. Have a recent history of drug abuse as assessed by the Drug Abuse Screening Test 20 (DAST-20) and physician interview;
8. Are pregnant, lactating, or of child bearing potential, likely to become pregnant during the medication phase and not willing to use a reliable form of contraception. Reliable forms of contraception include barrier (diaphragm or condom with spermicidal jelly), injections, intrauterine device \[IUD\], surgical sterilization and abstinence;
9. Have a history of any major cardiovascular events in the past 6 months including unstable angina, acute MI or coronary angioplasty;
10. Have clinically significant acute or chronic progressive or unstable neurologic, hepatic, renal, cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic disease;
11. Are currently on medications interacting with St. John?s Wort including warfarin, antiretrovirals (particularly indinavir and nevirapine), cyclosporine and tacrolimus, digoxin, nifedipine and verapamil, theophylline, all serotonergic drugs (serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, tramadol, venlafaxine, tryptophan and buspirone), MAO inhibitors, oral contraceptives, anti-cancer agents including imatinib and irinotecan, migraine medications (sumatriptan and zolmitriptan), methadone, lithium, sibutramine, atorvastatin and simvastatin, midazolam, alprazolam, fexofenadine, omeprazole, and general anesthetics (fentanyl, propofol, and sevoflurane);
12. Have another household member or relative participating in the study;
13. Have a known allergy to St. John?s Wort;
14. Have a history of photosensitivity;
15. Are professional drivers or operators of heavy machinery; and
16. Are scheduled for a planned surgical procedure within five days of taking SJW.

Answer: D