Nicotine, a compound most commonly perfectly located at the plants in the Solanaceae family, is an alkaloid and is also found accumulated in the leaves of such plants, the biosynthesis on this chemical is situated the roots in the plants. Nicotine is probably the major the different parts of addictive plants like tobacco (0.6%-3.0%) and is also the reason behind their addiction in humans because of its psychoactive nature.

1. Etymology

The name nicotine emanates from the scientific name in the tobacco plant Nicotiana tabacum. The scientific name in the tobacco plant is itself named france ambassador to Portugal Jean Nicot de Villemain. Villeman is credited for sending tobacco seeds and plant saplings to Paris in 1560 for its use within medicinal purposes.

2. Extraction

Nicotine was initially obtained 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 becoming a poison. In fact nicotine is an antiherbivore chemical, which then causes addiction when consumed in small amounts (1mg or less) and death if drawn 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 possesses a molecular mass of 162.12g/mol. Nicotine is a hygroscopic liquid that’s miscible with water as a nitrogenous base. Its density is 1.01g/cm3, melting point -79oC and boiling point 247oC. The nicotine molecule features a half lifetime of A couple of hours and its particular metabolism is hepatic. Nicotine is additionally optically active and has two enantiomeric forms.

4. Nicotine as a possible insecticide

As already said nicotine is an antiherbivore drug which if drawn in huge amounts is fatal alive forms. This is why nicotine laden tobacco has been employed as a possible insecticide could the World War II. But after the WWII its usage drastically lowered due to use of cheap synthetic insecticides which are more easily obtainable than tobacco and much less unhealthy for mammals. But in the current times the hype surrounding organic farming has again increased the interest in the farmers in the utilization of tobacco as a pesticide as a possible alternate to chemical pesticides.

5. Nicotine addiction

Our nervous system has certain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Nicotine binds to a few of such and raises the level of several neurotransmitters. Among these neurotransmitters dopamine is one such neurotransmitter that’s significantly increased during nicotine use and is also responsible for a feeling of euphoria and relaxation a result of the application of tobacco (nicotine) products.

6. Psychoactive effects of nicotine

Nicotine is a psychoactive substance as it’s mood altering. It causes both euphoria and relaxation. In the body nicotine is metabolised in the liver. First after its metabolism nicotine results in the making of glucose from your liver and epinephrine from your adrenal medulla. This sudden relieve glucose and epinephrine causes euphoria after the utilization of nicotine. After the initial euphoria nicotine results in relaxation, increased alertness and sharpness by implementing different neurotransmitters in the body. Nicotine also has pain relieving properties.

7. Side effects of nicotine intake

Tough it appears as though nicotine is a superb substance to improve one’s sharpness, induce calmness and elevate one’s mood there are more negative facets of nicotine intake than positive. Among these the commonest unwanted side effects of nicotine intake are an increased risk of hypertension and strokes. It’s sad that each cigarette that the man smokes reduces his life span by 14 years. Moreover since nicotine has been found to modify the working of Estrogen on hippocampus, hence ultimately nicotine users are given to amnesia and other associated diseases.

8. Toxicity

Nicotine is regarded as more toxic than most common drugs like heroin and cocaine. More damage is conducted by nicotine to the body of a human which is readily absorbed through the bloodstream and reaches the mind with the lungs within 7 seconds of its intake either orally or as nicotine patches.

9. Utilization of nicotine in medical science

Though nicotine isn’t a doctor’s best ally, it is yet not his worst foe. Nicotine famous for its pain relieving properties has researched upon to use as a potential medication minus its nasty effects. Nicotine been specifically found to scale back preeclampsia, allergic asthma; and the like by becoming an anti-inflammatory agent.

10. Nicotine in literature

Nicotine may be personified in popular literature as Nick O’ Teen, a humanoid villainous character in Superman comics that has been created as part of anti-nicotine drive to train children in regards to the ill-effects of nicotine intake in any form.
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