Nicotine, a chemical most commonly within the plants of the Solanaceae family, is an alkaloid and is found accumulated in the leaves of these plants, though the biosynthesis of this chemical occurs in the roots of the plants. Nicotine is probably the major the different parts of addictive plants like tobacco (0.6%-3.0%) and is the reason behind their addiction in humans due to its psychoactive nature.
The follow are 10 interesting factual statements about nicotine.
1. Etymology
The name nicotine comes from the scientific name of the tobacco plant Nicotiana tabacum. The scientific name of the tobacco plant is itself named the French ambassador to Portugal Jean Nicot de Villemain. Villeman is credited for sending tobacco seeds and plant saplings to Paris in 1560 for its used in medicinal purposes.
2. Extraction
Nicotine was first extracted from the tobacco plant by German physician Dr. Nikotiinipussit Wilhelm Heinrich Posselt and chemist Karl Ludwig Reimann in 1828. After its discovery Posselt and Reimann labelled it as a poison. In fact nicotine can be an antiherbivore chemical, which causes addiction when consumed in smaller amounts (1mg or less) and death if taken in high amounts (30mg-60mg).
3. Chemistry
Nicotine is an alkaloid with the chemical formula C10H14N2. Its IUPAC name is 3[2,5-1-methylpyrrolidin-2-yl]pyridine. It includes a molecular mass of 162.12g/mol. Nicotine is a hygroscopic liquid which is miscible with water as a nitrogenous base. Its density is 1.01g/cm3, melting point -79oC and boiling point 247oC. The nicotine molecule includes a half life of 2 hours and its own metabolism is hepatic. Nicotine is also optically active and contains two enantiomeric forms.
4. Nicotine as an insecticide
As already said nicotine can be an antiherbivore drug which if used large amounts is fatal to life forms. That is why nicotine laden tobacco has been used as an insecticide even prior to the World War II. But after the WWII its usage drastically lowered as a result of option of cheap synthetic insecticides which tend to be more easily available than tobacco and less harmful to mammals. However in the recent times the hype surrounding organic farming has again increased the interest of the farmers in the use of tobacco as a pesticide as an alternate to chemical pesticides.
5. Nicotine addiction
Our central nervous system has certain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Nicotine binds to many of these and escalates the quantity of several neurotransmitters. Among these neurotransmitters dopamine is one particular neurotransmitter that is significantly increased during nicotine use and is responsible for the sense of euphoria and relaxation due to the use of tobacco (nicotine) products.
6. Psychoactive ramifications of nicotine
Nicotine is a psychoactive substance as it is mood altering. It causes both euphoria and relaxation. In your body nicotine is metabolised in the liver. First following its metabolism nicotine results in the release of glucose from the liver and epinephrine from the adrenal medulla. This sudden release of glucose and epinephrine causes euphoria following the intake of nicotine. After the initial euphoria nicotine leads to relaxation, increased alertness and sharpness by focusing on different neurotransmitters of the body. Nicotine also has pain relieving properties.
7. Side effects of nicotine intake
Tough it seems like nicotine is a great substance to increase one’s sharpness, induce calmness and elevate one’s mood there are more negative aspects of nicotine intake than positive. Among these the most common unwanted effects of nicotine intake are an increased risk of hypertension and heart attacks. It is sad that each cigarette a man smokes reduces his life span by 14 years. Moreover since nicotine has been found to affect the working of Estrogen on hippocampus, hence in the end nicotine users are inclined to amnesia and other related diseases.
8. Toxicity
Nicotine is considered to become more toxic than most common drugs like heroin and cocaine. More harm is done by nicotine to the human body because it is readily absorbed by the bloodstream and reaches the brain through the lungs within 7 seconds of its intake either orally or as nicotine patches.
9. Usage of nicotine in medical science
Though nicotine is not a doctor’s best friend, it really is yet not his worst foe. Nicotine known because of its pain relieving properties has been researched upon to be utilized as a potential pain killer minus its harmful effects. Nicotine has also been found to reduce preeclampsia, allergic asthma; amongst others by acting as an anti-inflammatory agent.
10. Nicotine in literature
Nicotine has been personified in popular literature as Nick O’ Teen, a humanoid villainous character in Superman comics that was created as part of anti-nicotine drive to teach children about the ill-effects of nicotine intake in any form.
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