Nicotine
Overview
Nicotine (NIK-uh-teen) is a thick, colorless to yellow, oily liquid with a bitter taste that turns brown when exposed to air. It occurs in high concentrations in the leaves of tobacco plants and in lower concentrations in tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and green peppers. Nicotine gets its name from the tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum, which, in turn, was named in honor of the French diplomat and scholar Jean Nicot (1530–1600), who introduced the use of tobacco to Paris. Nicotine's correct chemical structure was determined in 1843 by the Belgian chemist and physicist Louise Melsens (1814–1886) and the compound was first synthesized by the research team of A. Pictet and A. Rotschy in 1904.
Key Facts
Other Names:
r(S)-3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine; 1-methyl-2-(3-pyridyl)-pyrrolidine
Formula:
C5H4NC4H7NCH3
Elements:
Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen
Compound Type:
Alkaloid (organic)
State:
Liquid
Molecular Weight:
162.23 g/mol
Melting Point:
−79°C (−110°F)
Boiling Point:
247°C (477°F)
Solubility:
Miscible with water; very soluble in ethyl alcohol, ether, and chloroform
How It Is Made
Nicotine is extracted by soaking the stems and leaves of the tobacco plant in water for about twelve hours. After that period of time, the nicotine in the tobacco has dissolved in the water and can be extracted in a variety of ways. In one process, the water solution of nicotine is mixed with ether or chloroform, in which the nicotine is more soluble. The nicotine moves from the water layer to the ether or chloroform layer, from which it can be removed by evaporation.
Common Uses and Potential Hazards
The best-known application of nicotine is in tobacco products used for smoking and chewing. The actual nicotine content of tobacco products varies considerably, but, on average, ranges from about 15 to 25 milligrams per cigarette. Nicotine is also available in a number of products designed to help people stop smoking, such as nicotine gums and nicotine patches.
Nicotine was often used by farmers and gardeners as an insecticide and a fumigant in the past. Perhaps the best known of these in the United States was an insecticide known as Black Leaf 40, a 40 percent solution of nicotine sulfate in water. The use of Black Leaf 40 and most other nicotine-containing insecticides has, to a large extent, been discontinued because of the toxic nature of the compound. The risk it posed to human users was greater than its value as an agricultural product.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance. For that reason, people have difficulty stopping smoking or chewing tobacco products even when they recognize the health hazards posed by the compound. Smokers depend on nicotine to give them a burst of energy, since it stimulates the heart rate and quickens blood flow. Once a person becomes addicted to the use of nicotine, it requires larger doses of the compound to produce comparable effects. A 1998 U.S. government report issued by then-Surgeon General C. Everett Koop found that the addictive properties of nicotine are comparable to those of heroin and cocaine.
Interesting Facts
- It takes only about seven seconds after nicotine is ingested before the chemical reaches the human brain.
- Nicotine is one of the most widely used addictive drugs in the United States.
When a person uses tobacco, nicotine is quickly absorbed through respiratory tissues, the skin, and the gastrointestinal tract. The actual amount of nicotine absorbed by the body depends on a number of factors, including the type of tobacco being smoked and the presence or absence of a filter on the cigarette. After entering the body, nicotine flows through the bloodstream and across the blood brain barrier. Levels of the stimulating hormone adrenaline increase, as do blood sugar levels, respiration rates, blood pressure, and heart rate. Nicotine can make small arteries constrict, putting strain on the heart and raising blood pressure. If a person already has clogged arteries, this effect may cause heart pain (angina) or a heart attack.
Although nicotine is a stimulant, it may induce muscle relaxation, depending on the user's physical state. It has also been shown to decrease one's appetite, speed up metabolism, and increase levels of dopamine, a mood-altering chemical in the brain that induces feelings of pleasure. Low levels of dopamine play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease. Research has shown that smokers, with higher levels of dopamine, have a reduced risk of the disease. Women who are pregnant are advised not to use any product containing nicotine. Nicotine in any form is harmful to an unborn child. It rapidly crosses the placenta and enters the fetus's body.
Nicotine is a highly toxic poison, which explains its former popularity as a pesticide. In high doses, it can be lethal. Low doses of nicotine can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms of acute nicotine poisoning may include a burning sensation in the mouth, more severe nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, heart palpitations, fluid in the lungs, seizures, coma, and death. People who smoke while receiving nicotine replacement therapy are at risk of nicotine poisoning.
Words to Know
Able to be mixed; especially applies to the mixing of one liquid with another. A chemical that carries nerve transmissions from one nerve cell to an adjacent nerve cell.For Further Information
"Acute Nicotine Poisoning." Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary. 5th edition. St. Louis: Mosby, 1998.
"Facts about Nicotine and Tobacco Products." National Institute on Drug Abuse. http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_Notes/NNVol13N3/tearoff.html (accessed on October 20, 2005).
"Nicotine." International Labour Organization. http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/cis/products/icsc/dtasht/_icsc05/icsc0519.htm (accessed on October 20, 2005).
"Nicotine (Black Leaf 40) Chemical Profile 4/85." Pesticide Management Education Program, Cornell University. http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/insect-mite/mevinphos-propargite/nicotine/insect-prof-nicotine.html (accessed on October 20, 2005).
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