Is Nicotine Polacrilex in Nicotine Patches?
No, nicotine polacrilex is not an ingredient in nicotine patches—it is the formulation used exclusively in nicotine gum. 1, 2
Understanding the Distinction
Nicotine replacement therapy products contain nicotine but deliver it through different pharmaceutical formulations:
- Nicotine patches contain pure nicotine that is delivered transdermally (through the skin) over 16 or 24 hours, with doses of 21 mg, 14 mg, or 7 mg 1
- Nicotine polacrilex is nicotine bound to an ion-exchange resin (polacrilex) that is released through chewing, available only in gum formulation at 2 mg or 4 mg doses 2, 3
Why the Formulations Differ
The polacrilex resin in gum serves a specific purpose that is irrelevant to patch delivery:
- Polacrilex allows controlled release of nicotine through the buccal mucosa (mouth lining) during chewing, with approximately 53-72% of nicotine extracted from the gum depending on chewing technique 3
- Patches deliver nicotine directly through skin absorption without requiring a resin carrier system 1
- The pharmacokinetic profiles are fundamentally different: patches provide steady nicotine levels throughout the day, while gum provides faster but lower peak levels with each piece chewed 4, 5
Clinical Implications
Both products are equally effective for smoking cessation when used appropriately:
- All four NRT products (gum, patch, nasal spray, inhaler) have similar success rates, with no controlled trial evidence favoring one product over another 6
- The choice between patch and gum depends on practical and personal considerations rather than efficacy differences 6, 5
- Combination therapy using both a patch and nicotine polacrilex gum together achieves superior outcomes (36.5% abstinence at 6 months) compared to either product alone (23.4% for patch monotherapy), nearly doubling cessation success 7, 8