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Nicotine, a chemical mostly found in the plants of the Solanaceae family, can be an alkaloid and is available accumulated in the leaves of these plants, although biosynthesis of the chemical occurs in the roots of the plants. Nicotine is among the major the different parts of addictive plants like tobacco (0.6%-3.0%) and ‘s the reason behind their addiction in humans because of 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 because of its used in medicinal purposes.

2. Extraction

Nicotine was first extracted from the tobacco plant by German physician Dr. Wilhelm Heinrich Posselt and chemist Karl Ludwig Reimann in 1828. After its discovery Posselt and Reimann labelled it as a poison. Actually nicotine can be an antiherbivore chemical, which causes addiction when consumed in smaller amounts (1mg or less) and death if used 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 has 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 can be optically active and contains two enantiomeric forms.

4. Nicotine as an insecticide

As already said nicotine can be an antiherbivore drug which if taken in huge amounts is fatal to life forms. This is why nicotine laden tobacco has been used as an insecticide even prior to the World War II. But following the WWII its usage drastically lowered as a result of availability of cheap synthetic insecticides which are more readily available than tobacco and less bad for mammals. nikotiinipussit netistä However in the recent years the hype surrounding organic farming has again increased the interest of the farmers in the use of tobacco as a pesticide being an alternate to chemical pesticides.

5. Nicotine addiction

Our central nervous system has certain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Nicotine binds to several of these and increases the level of several neurotransmitters. Among these neurotransmitters dopamine is one such neurotransmitter which is significantly increased during nicotine use and is responsible for the sense of euphoria and relaxation caused by using tobacco (nicotine) products.

6. Psychoactive effects of nicotine

Nicotine is really a psychoactive substance as it is mood altering. It causes both euphoria and relaxation. In the 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. Following the initial euphoria nicotine results in 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 looks like nicotine is an excellent substance to improve one’s sharpness, induce calmness and elevate one’s mood you can find more negative areas of nicotine intake than positive. Among these the most typical unwanted effects of nicotine intake are an elevated risk of hypertension and heart attacks. It is sad that each cigarette that 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 long run nicotine users are inclined to amnesia and other related diseases.

8. Toxicity

Nicotine is considered to be more toxic than most typical drugs like heroin and cocaine. More harm is performed by nicotine to the body since 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 isn’t a doctor’s best friend, it really is yet not his worst foe. Nicotine known because of its pain relieving properties is being researched upon to be utilized as a potential pain killer minus its harmful effects. Nicotine in addition has 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 which was created as a part of anti-nicotine drive to teach children about the ill-effects of nicotine intake in virtually any form.

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