Download Isha Humagain Gaustabbo Ibrra March 31, 2014 Research paper

Isha Humagain
Gaustabbo Ibrra
March 31, 2014
Research paper
Nicotine
Nicotine is a toxic colorless or yellowish oily liquid that is the chief active constituent of
tobacco. It acts as a stimulant in small doses, but in larger amounts blocks the action of
autonomic nerve and skeletal muscle cells. Also, it is a chemical compound that is present in
tobacco. When tobacco is smoked, nicotine is absorbed through the wall lining of the small air
sacs in the lungs. When sniffed or chewed, it is absorbed.
Nicotine is an active chemical substance present in tobacco that contributes to the
negative reputation of tobacco. This chemical, when abused (through smoking or chewing) has
harmful effects on the human body and it is also found to be as addictive as illegal drugs. The
below are a few harmful and addictive effects of nicotine on humans, later followed by long and
short-term effects.
Harmful effects:
Tobacco harms every organ of the body. It affects lungs, heart, kidneys, digestive system,
liver, eyes and many other vital organs in the body. Further, people who smoke tobacco get their
sense of smell and taste weakened.
Also 'passive smoking' or 'secondhand smoking' harms non-smokers. The tobacco smoke
contains harmful chemicals. When inhaled by non-smokers in the smoker's proximity, it causes
coughing, phlegm and decline in the functionality of the lungs. Studies show that it can cause
heart diseases even among non-smokers who are subjected to secondhand smoking.
Addictive effects:
Nicotine is absorbed into the body when an individual smokes or chews tobacco.
Nicotine causes elevation of mood. This is the principal reason for nicotine causing addiction.
The nicotine absorbed by a smoker reaches the brain via blood. This leads to numerous chemical
reactions in the brain and causes feeling of high. It lasts for a short span. Once the nicotine level
declines, there is no longer the high-feeling. To have a similar feeling again, the smoker has to
smoke again, thus it causes addiction.d through the mucous membranes of the nose or mouth.
Chemistry of Nicotine
Nicotine is a potent parasympathomimetic alkaloid found in the nightshade family of
plants (Solanaceae) and a stimulant drug. It is a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist. It is
made in the roots and accumulates in the leaves of the plants. It constitutes approximately 0.6–
3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco and is present in the range of 2–7 µg/kg of various edible
plants. It functions as an ant herbivore chemical; consequently, nicotine was widely used as an
insecticide in the past and nicotine analogs such as imidacloprid are currently widely used.
In smaller doses (an average cigarette yields about 1 mg of absorbed nicotine), the
substance acts as a stimulant in mammals, while high amounts (50–100 mg) can be harmful. This
stimulant effect is likely a major contributing factor to the dependence-forming properties of
tobacco smoking, nicotine patches, nicotine gum, nicotine inhalers and liquid nicotine
vapourizers. According to the American Heart Association, nicotine addiction has historically
been one of the hardest addictions to break, while the pharmacological and behavioral
characteristics that determine nicotine addiction are similar to those determining addiction to
heroin and cocaine. The nicotine content of popular American-brand cigarettes has slowly
increased over the years, and one study found that there was an average increase of 1.78% per
year between the years of 1998 and 2005. This was found for all major market categories of
cigarettes.
Reaction of nicotine in the brain:
Once nicotine is absorbed, it enters the bloodstream where it circulates throughout the
body and travels to the brain where it crosses the blood-brain barrier. Once in the brain, it binds
to and activates receptors called the cholinergic receptors. Nicotine can also be absorbed through
the skin.
The nicotine in inhaled tobacco smoke moves from the lungs, into the bloodstream and
up to the smoker's brain within 7 to 10 seconds. Once there, nicotine triggers a number of
chemical reactions that create temporary feelings of pleasure for the smoker, but these sensations
are short-lived, subsiding within minutes. As the nicotine level drops in the blood, smokers feel
edgy and agitated -- the start of nicotine withdrawal. So, in order to relieve the discomforts,
smokers light up another cigarette...and then another…and another. And so it goes -- the vicious
cycle of nicotine addiction. One cigarette is never enough, a fact that every smoker knows all too
well.
Acute effect of Nicotine:
In the short-term, nicotine is found to cause high blood pressure, increased pulse rate and
cough. The abuse of nicotine also has immediate effects on oral cavity which causes bad breath
and staining of teeth. In severe cases, it may also lead to oral cancer.
•Bad breath: Smoking tobacco or chewing tobacco causes severe bad breath in the individual.
Bad breath is because the nicotine, tar and other chemicals in tobacco get deposited in your oral
cavity. The chemicals in tobacco drastically reduce the formation of saliva in your mouth,
causing dry mouth, thus leading to the growth of odor causing bacteria.
•Stained teeth: When you smoke or chew tobacco, the chemicals like tar, nicotine and others
burn and undergo chemical reaction producing sticky substances. When you take the smoke in
by inhaling, the sticky substances in the smoke get deposited on your teeth and thus cause stains.
•Smoker's cough: Coughing is a protective physiological mechanism in order to remove irritants
from the body, especially from the respiratory tract. Smoking damages cilia, the protective
structure in the respiratory tract. When Cilia become defunct, harmful particles like dust, the
chemicals from tobacco, etc. are deposited in the respiratory tract. Over a period of time, the
body removes the accumulation of these foreign substances by coughing. Thus, the smoker
suffers from heavy cough.
•Increased heart rate and blood pressure: Nicotine causes increased heart rate and blood
pressure. This is because nicotine reduces oxygen supply to the heart and thus makes it less
functional. Further, it makes blood vessels narrow because of the formation of blood clots. It
thus, causes increased workload on the heart; hence, there is increased heart rate. All these
factors cause increased blood pressure.
Chronic effect of nicotine:
Long-term effects of nicotine include addiction, increased risk of heart diseases, and
decline in insulin levels, cancer and premature aging. Long-term effects of nicotine are very
harmful and may also lead to fatalities in many cases.
Addiction and dependence:
As the effect of nicotine on the body is temporary, to enhance the feeling the smoker gets
addicted and dependent on the drug in the long-term. Further, the body develops tolerance to the
chemical, and thus needs increased amount subsequently and thus perpetuates the intake causing
addiction and dependence in the long-term.
Increased risk of heart diseases:
There is increased risk of heart diseases in the long-term due to nicotine addiction.
Nicotine causes narrowing down of the blood canals. It is because nicotine gets attached to its
receptor proteins in the blood vessel and stays there and thus causes constriction of blood canals.
Also, in the long-term, nicotine damages the lining of blood vessels that leads to
deposition of cholesterol in the blood vessels. This may ultimately lead to a heart attack.
Inhibits the release of insulin:
Nicotine leads to reduction in the secretion of insulin that is essential in absorption of
carbohydrates in the body. Normally, when the glucose level rises because of food intake, insulin
comes to the rescue by reducing the glucose levels. In smokers, this is not the case; insulin is
released in less quantity. When glucose levels are present in higher levels than required in blood,
it may cause harm to the heart and kidneys.
May lead to cancer:
Nicotine as a causative substance of cancer is debatable. The other chemicals in tobacco like tar
containing cyanide, benzene, formaldehyde, etc. are said to cause cancer. These chemicals are
released in the body when tar enters because of smoking, over a long period.
Premature aging:
Smokers look older than they actually are. This is because of the effect of nicotine on the
production and functioning of antioxidants in the body - responsible for fighting free radicals in
the body formed due to environmental pollution, stress, etc. Antioxidants make the skin and
other soft tissues look young.
By all accounts, nicotine has destructive effects on every part of your body - be in the
short or long-term. Hence, a strict warning indeed to non-smokers is to never experiment with it!
Work Cited:
•
Mandal, Ananya. "Nicotine - What Is Nicotine?" Nicotine - What Is Nicotine? N.p., n.d.
Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
•
Levin, Ed. "Nicotine." Nicotine. Psychompharmacology, 1 Jan. 1996. Web. 01 Apr.
2014.
•
Trimarchi, Maria, and Ann Meeker-O'Connell. "How Nicotine Works." HowStuffWorks.
HowStuffWorks.com, 02 Jan. 2001. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.
•
"Drug Abuse.” Short and Long-Term Effects of Nicotine on Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Apr. 2014.

"Drug Abuse.” Short and Long-Term Effects of Nicotine on Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 01
Apr. 2014

Hemelstine, Anne Marie. "Nicotine Chemical Structure." About.com Chemistry. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2014.