Nicotine, a chemical mostly within the plants of the Solanaceae family, can be an alkaloid and is found accumulated in the leaves of the plants, though the biosynthesis of the 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 because of its psychoactive nature.
The follow are 10 interesting facts 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 use 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. Following its discovery Posselt and Reimann labelled it as a poison. Actually nicotine can be an antiherbivore chemical, which in turn causes addiction when consumed in smaller amounts (1mg or less) and death if used high amounts (30mg-60mg).
3. Chemistry
Nicotine can be an alkaloid with the chemical formula C10H14N2. parhaat nikotiinipussit Its IUPAC name is 3[2,5-1-methylpyrrolidin-2-yl]pyridine. It includes a molecular mass of 162.12g/mol. Nicotine is really a hygroscopic liquid that 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 being an insecticide
As already said nicotine is an antiherbivore drug which if used large amounts is fatal to life forms. This is why nicotine laden tobacco has been used being an insecticide even prior to the World War II. But after the WWII its usage drastically lowered as a result of availability of cheap synthetic insecticides which are more readily 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 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 escalates the quantity of several neurotransmitters. Among these neurotransmitters dopamine is one particular neurotransmitter that is significantly increased during nicotine use and is in charge of the sense of euphoria and relaxation caused by using 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 after the intake of nicotine. Following the initial euphoria nicotine leads to relaxation, increased alertness and sharpness by focusing on different neurotransmitters of your body. Nicotine also has pain relieving properties.
7. Side effects of nicotine intake
Tough it looks like nicotine is a wonderful substance to increase one’s sharpness, induce calmness and elevate one’s mood there are more negative areas of nicotine intake than positive. Among these the most common side effects of nicotine intake are an elevated threat 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 prone to amnesia along with other related diseases.
8. Toxicity
Nicotine is considered to be more toxic than most common drugs like heroin and cocaine. More harm is done by nicotine to our body since it is readily absorbed by the bloodstream and reaches the mind 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 has been researched upon to be used as a potential pain killer minus its harmful effects. Nicotine in addition has been found to reduce preeclampsia, allergic asthma; amongst others by acting being 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 educate children about the ill-effects of nicotine intake in any form.
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