Methods and compositions for aiding in smoking cessation and for treating pain and other disorders using optically pure (+)-bupropion

A method of treating pain in a human while avoiding the concomitant liability of adverse effects associated with administration of racemic bupropion, which comprises administering to a human in need of treatment for pain, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, said amount being sufficient to alleviate said pain, but insufficient to cause adverse effects associated with administration of racemic bupropion.

A method for treating nicotine addiction in a human, which comprises administering to said human suffering from nicotine addiction, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer.

A method of treating nicotine addiction in a human while avoiding the concomitant liability of adverse effects associated with the administration of racemic bupropion, which comprises administering to said human suffering from nicotine addiction, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, said amount being sufficient to alleviate nicotine addiction, but insufficient to cause adverse effects associated with administration of racemic bupropion.

A method of treating a chronic disorder in a human, which comprises administering to a human in need of treatment for a chronic disorder, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer.

A method of treating a chronic disorder in a human while avoiding the concomitant liability of adverse effects associated with administration of racemic bupropion, which comprises administering to a human in need of treatment for a chronic disorder, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, said amount being sufficient to alleviate said chronic disorder, but insufficient to cause said adverse effects associated with administration of racemic bupropion.

A method for aiding smoking cessation by a human, which comprises administering to said human who smokes a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer.

A method for aiding smoking cessation by a human while avoiding the concomitant liability of adverse effects associated with the administration of racemic bupropion, which comprises administering to said human who smokes a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, said amount being sufficient to achieve smoking cessation or a reduction in smoking, but insufficient to cause adverse effects associated with the administration of racemic bupropion.

A method for treating weight gain associated with smoking cessation by a human, which comprises administering to said human suffering from weight gain associated with smoking cessation, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer.

A method for treating weight gain associated with smoking cessation by a human while avoiding the concomitant liability of adverse effects associated with the administration of racemic bupropion, which comprises administering to said human suffering from weight gain associated with smoking cessation, a therapeutically effective amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, said amount being sufficient to achieve weight loss, but insufficient to cause the adverse effects associated with administration of racemic bupropion.

A pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutically amount of (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A sustained release formulation which comprises (+)-bupropion or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof substantially free of its (−)-stereoisomer, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.