Nicotine

Definition

A natural chemical substance extracted from tobacco leaves. Nicotine is a violent poison with many side effects. More precisely, nicotine is an alkaloid with an oily consistency that is yellow in color and turns yellow on contact with air. It has a pungent taste and a nauseating odor.

Generalities

Nicotine is present in cigarettes and cigars mainly. It is also found in some insecticides and in the processes used for smoking cessation (transdermal patches), chewing gum and inhalers more recently. When nicotine is inhaled, chewed, breathed or passes through the skin, that is to say when it comes from transdermal patches, nicotine passes quickly into the blood and will act at the level of communications between neurons called synapses. These communications are the junctions between the nerve cells of the central nervous system and more particularly of the vegetative nervous system (autonomic nervous system) which is at the origin of the control of reflex (automatic) activities of the entire organism.

History

The term nicotine comes from that of Jean Nicot born in 1530, died in 1600 who introduced tobacco to France and was a French diplomat and lexicographer.

Symptoms

physiology

This substance is likely to facilitate the transmission of nerve impulses at the synapses, that is to say the relay between two neurons of the nervous system. But if nicotine has a stimulating action (at low doses) it also has a paralyzing action (at high doses). Some experiments and more particularly those of Appelgren, Hansonn and Schmiterlow in 1962 make it possible to demonstrate that nicotine has an action not limited to the brain, but more general. On the other hand, the vigilance threshold in humans and animals is disturbed and the role of nicotine on acquisition has been noted. Nicotine meets certain criteria at the origin of an irresistible need to smoke. In other words, it has pleasant and calming effects on mood. This is the reason why people who smoke have a burning need to smoke which becomes a preoccupation as important as that of eating or drinking. Nicotine is therefore the cause of a phenomenon of addiction and the physical dependence which manifests itself at the time of withdrawal syndrome is proof of this.

Pathophysiology

The immediate consequences of nicotine absorption are (non-exhaustive list):

Pallor

Drop in skin temperature

Nausea and vomiting

Muscle Weakness

General fatigue

Rapid breathing (polypnea)

Mydriasis (enlarged pupil size)

Excessive sweat secretion

Acceleration of contractions of the digestive tract

Rapid heart rate, palpitations

Voltage disturbance (decrease)

tremors

Tingling

Insomnia

Headaches

In high doses it causes lobelia (poisoning by lobeline which is an alkaloid similar to nicotine).

Diseases secondary to chronic (long-term) nicotine absorption and smoking in general are:

Blood sugar concentration disturbances

Disruptions in the metabolism (functioning) of cortisol (natural corticosteroid derivatives) and in certain neurological hormones such as beta-endorphin, vasopressin, fatty acids (basic elements constituting fats).

Mortality which is 70 times higher than that of non-smokers and more particularly among young people, let us repeat. We also note, and this is increasingly true, an increase in mortality among women. Tobacco is the cause of approximately 10% of premature deaths in a year (i.e. one death in five), most often due to damage to the pulmonary or coronary system.

Cancers of the lung, larynx, tongue (pipe smokers, chewers), esophagus, nasopharynx and lips among others. The early consumption, the duration in years of smoking are directly determining factors in the appearance of this disease. Generally speaking, smoker's cancer obeys the following rule: the appearance of this pathology follows the evolution of tobacco consumption with nevertheless a time lag of about twenty years. A notion commonly held among the public that the light smoker is not at risk is erroneous. Indeed, there is no threshold below which the risk of being affected by lung cancer is zero. There is also an association between cervical cancers, bladder cancers and tobacco consumption.

The occurrence of cardiovascular diseases

General respiratory diseases (chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic respiratory failure) and the consequences they can have on the rest of the body (hernia)

The increase in days off work compared to non-smokers.

Blood clotting and hematocrit disorders which is the ratio of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets and plasma which is the liquid part of the blood

Other hematological (blood) disorders such as decreased vitamin C in white blood cells, decreased albumin in the blood (hypoalbuminemia), increased alveolar macrophages (a type of white blood cell that fights infections) and poor functioning of these cells

Decreased immune performance

Decreased physical performance

The occurrence of early menopause in women

Higher consumption of stimulants (coffee, tea, alcohol, drugs)

Liver damage

Consequences on the cardiovascular system and essentially an attack on the coronaries which is at the origin of coronary artery disease (coronary disease characterized by a closure of the caliber of the latter) which appears early and the consequences are serious (1 to 2% of deaths). Added to this is hypotension (a type of figure lower than the average) and hypercholesterolemia (increased cholesterol level in the blood).

Evolution

Many patients who are particularly addicted to tobacco relapse after the first attempt to quit. Nicotine is the cause of addiction and dependence. This means that quitting smoking most often results in withdrawal symptoms:

A burning craze for smoking

A drowsiness

Irritability

Headaches (headaches)

Concentration difficulties

A commotion sometimes

Stomach problems

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Definition

Definition

Generalities

History

Symptoms

physiology

Pathophysiology

Evolution

Evolution

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