Nicotine is a natural insecticide that some plants use to defend themselves against pests. It is also a substance that people use as a stimulant, and increasingly often as a medicinal substance in certain diseases of the nervous system. It is a substance that, when used in small doses, can improve the functioning of gray matter cells, although this is most often associated with addiction to it, or if used in an uncontrolled and irresponsible manner, it can lead to death.
Under natural conditions, nicotine occurs in the leaves and roots of noble tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), which is most often used in the tobacco industry. The leaves contain 1 to 3 percent of nicotine.
Nicotine was first isolated in 1828, and its chemical structure was discovered in 1843. Nicotine was first obtained through a chemical process in 1904.
It affects the nervous system, causing pleasant experiences that can be compared to the effects of taking hard drugs: cocaine, amphetamine, or morphine. The dose taken is important, although, regardless of the size, it always leads to addiction. When lethal doses are used (LD50 is approximately 1-1.5 mg/kg body weight), death may occur within a few minutes as a result of suffocation, because neurotoxins cause acute paralysis of the respiratory muscles.
But already in the first decade of the 21st century, this view was questioned and a debate began among scientists about its carcinogenic properties.
However, in the world of science, these opinions are very divergent. According to the latest reports, the addictive properties of isolated nicotine are not significant. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors present in cigarette smoke have a decisive influence on cigarette addiction.
In small doses, it has a stimulating effect on the body, causing increased secretion of adrenaline. As a result, you may experience relief from stress, decreased appetite, improved learning ability, arousal, and greater activity. Increased heart rate, dilated pupils, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure are observed. In some cases, at low dosages, nicotine can stimulate the brain and nervous system, as well as improve concentration and memory. Small doses of nicotine release dopamine in our body, which is called the happiness hormone.
Nicotine binds permanently to nicotinic receptors in nerve cells, disturbing their metabolism. Initially, there is a feeling of lightness, then a change in perception, a change in the perception of the surroundings, photophobia, fatigue, lack of energy, a feeling of detachment from reality, thoughtfulness, vomiting, and diarrhea. In even higher doses, the field of vision becomes blurred and hallucinations may appear - usually black and white images. At extreme doses, loss of consciousness, convulsions, and death occur.
It came to Europe in the 16th century and both tobacco and the nicotine it contained were originally used as a medicinal substance. However, nicotine quickly began to be treated as an attractive stimulant, initially by smoking tobacco in pipes, then cigars appeared, and finally, cigarettes, which popularized the addiction to nicotine and made it egalitarian.
Plants such as tobacco produce it to repel pests - nicotine interferes with the neurotransmitters of insects and kills them.
Pygmies are said to be the most addicted to nicotine. In the Aka tribe living in central Africa, almost 95 percent of men are smokers. Pygmies earn an average of 50 cents a day, half of which they spend on tobacco. Canadian anthropologist Edward Hagen from Washington State University studied their addiction to nicotine and concluded that by smoking tobacco, Pygmies naturally fight against gastrointestinal parasites, tapeworms, and roundworms.
This is because nicotine affects not only acetylcholine but also other neurotransmitters, especially dopamine, which is lacking in Parkinson's disease. In patients suffering from this disease, nicotine reduces the occurrence of involuntary body movements - a typical symptom of this disease - by up to one-third.
Under the influence of nicotine, patients become aroused, have better memory and greater motor skills. It is believed that nicotine increases the viability of neurons - it can act as an antioxidant, protecting brain cells against harmful free radicals.
The therapy uses patches containing nicotine, which is perfectly absorbed through the skin. Just 45 minutes after applying a patch containing 7 mg of nicotine, the patients examined by the researchers had better control over impulsive behavior and better remembered the images shown to them.
Psychiatrists have long wondered why almost 90 percent of patients with schizophrenia and depression smoke cigarettes heavily. They take into account that this is some form of self-medication, because these patients struggle with constant anxiety, irritability, and the inability to focus on one thing, and nicotine can alleviate these symptoms. But it's also possible that nicotine causes them, as smoking has been proven to increase the risk of depression, suicide, and panic attacks.
This fact is used in the fight against smoking addiction by using patches soaked in it. There are cases of nicotine poisoning by people working on tobacco plantations. After a few hours of work, workers collecting wet tobacco leaves develop symptoms of poisoning: vomiting, pale skin, and dizziness.
