Smoking is without doubt one of the greatest causes of avoidable illness and death in the modern world. Most well known is the relationship between smoking and numerous cancers, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease. Smoking and most especially nicotine, are, however, sometimes beneficial in certain diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, allergic alveolitis, nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, fibroids, carcinoma of body of uterus, ulcerative colitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, aphthous stomatitis and ulceration, pemphigus, herpes simplex and acne. In the immensely justifiable enthusiasm to discredit this dangerous activity, the mechanisms behind these beneficial effects tend to have been un-discussed or ignored. It is the aim of this paper to spur interest in the reasons for these effects. If the mechanisms are elucidated, therapeutic advances may be possible.
Smoking and most especially nicotine, are, however, sometimes beneficial in certain diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, allergic alveolitis, nausea and vomiting of pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, fibroids, carcinoma of body of uterus, ulcerative colitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, aphthous stomatitis and ulceration, pemphigus, herpes simplex and acne.
In the immensely justifiable enthusiasm to discredit this dangerous activity, the mechanisms behind these beneficial effects tend to have been un-discussed or ignored.
It is the aim of this paper to spur interest in the reasons for these effects. If the mechanisms are elucidated, therapeutic advances may be possible.
Pure nicotine has no known carcinogenic properties and can be administered in numerous ways including transdermal patches and tablets. As a therapeutic agent, its association with tobacco can be likened to morphine and opium smoking. There is ample clinical evidence to suggest that nicotine could be beneficial in the treatment of some patients with diseases. Pharmacologically, nicotine acts on cholinergic (nicotinic-specific) receptors which are depleted in AD and PD. Nicotinic receptors also interact closely with several neurotransmitters including dopamine, which is implicated in both PD and Gilles de la Tourettes's syndrome.
Nicotine and nicotinic agonists may have a therapeutic potential for a variety of disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, depression, attention deficit disorder, Tourette's syndrome and ulcerative colitis. These interests are partially fuelled by the urgent need of the tobacco industry to find new niches for nicotine in a world bound eventually to retire from cigarette smoking. At the same time, there is an increased interest in developing drugs for fighting obesity, a growing affliction of industrialised nations. This review presents data on the potential of nicotine, and in particular synthetic nicotinic agonists, for controlling body weight. Nicotinic agonists may become relatively safe, effective and inexpensive alternatives for several optional drugs currently being developed for treating human obesity, including beta-3-adrenergic agonists, leptin and its agonists, and neuropeptide Y antagonists.
Quote: from Poker Shark at 12:11 am on Sep. 16, 2008 Quote: from lostwitness at 3:37 pm on Sep. 16, 2008 Quote: from Poker Shark at 12:05 am on Sep. 16, 2008 Regardless whether you separate nicotine from the cancer causing tobacco and administer it in a safer way than smoking it is still a terribly addictive drug. No more addictive than current pharmaceuticals. Plus, nicotine's addictive properties are over-exagerated because of the quick fix the addicts get from cigarettes. If nicotine was formulated into an extended-release capsule it wouldn't be that addictive. That's a valid point. I don't see how nicotine could have much therapeutic benefit considering how quickly tolerance builds to it. Tolerance doesn't go up indefinitely. Eventually you reach a point where you can stick to a dosage. Plus if we have drugs like benzodiazapenes and opiates so commonly prescribed despite how quickly tolerance is developed to the drugs, I don't see why nicotine cannot be added to that list as well if it has therapeutic potential.
Quote: from lostwitness at 3:37 pm on Sep. 16, 2008 Quote: from Poker Shark at 12:05 am on Sep. 16, 2008 Regardless whether you separate nicotine from the cancer causing tobacco and administer it in a safer way than smoking it is still a terribly addictive drug. No more addictive than current pharmaceuticals. Plus, nicotine's addictive properties are over-exagerated because of the quick fix the addicts get from cigarettes. If nicotine was formulated into an extended-release capsule it wouldn't be that addictive. That's a valid point. I don't see how nicotine could have much therapeutic benefit considering how quickly tolerance builds to it.
Quote: from Poker Shark at 12:05 am on Sep. 16, 2008 Regardless whether you separate nicotine from the cancer causing tobacco and administer it in a safer way than smoking it is still a terribly addictive drug. No more addictive than current pharmaceuticals. Plus, nicotine's addictive properties are over-exagerated because of the quick fix the addicts get from cigarettes. If nicotine was formulated into an extended-release capsule it wouldn't be that addictive.
Regardless whether you separate nicotine from the cancer causing tobacco and administer it in a safer way than smoking it is still a terribly addictive drug.
No more addictive than current pharmaceuticals.
Plus, nicotine's addictive properties are over-exagerated because of the quick fix the addicts get from cigarettes.
If nicotine was formulated into an extended-release capsule it wouldn't be that addictive.
Tolerance doesn't go up indefinitely. Eventually you reach a point where you can stick to a dosage.
Plus if we have drugs like benzodiazapenes and opiates so commonly prescribed despite how quickly tolerance is developed to the drugs, I don't see why nicotine cannot be added to that list as well if it has therapeutic potential.
Quote: from lostwitness at 11:08 pm on Sep. 15, 2008 Quote: from MushroomSatsujin at 12:02 am on Sep. 16, 2008 Weed can do that plus more without the side-effects, you know, like cancer or death Nicotine doesn't cause cancer. Cigs do
Quote: from MushroomSatsujin at 12:02 am on Sep. 16, 2008 Weed can do that plus more without the side-effects, you know, like cancer or death Nicotine doesn't cause cancer.
Weed can do that plus more without the side-effects, you know, like cancer or death
Nicotine doesn't cause cancer.
Exactly. But nicotine is the substance that has the health-benefits.
Cyanide can possibly help fight cancer, doesn't mean I'm going to ingest it.
No it cannot. Cyanide is a poison to the body.
You are referring to vitamin B17 that is found in raw apricot seeds that was thought to cure cancer in the 1970's by a group of scientists. It has been since banned BECAUSE of the cyanide that it contains. Cyanide has no effect whatsoever in the anti-cancer properties of the apricot seed. Cyanide is also found in small quantities in apple seeds which is why it isn't recommended you ingest the seeds.
The substance "laetrile" -- a popular anti-cancer drug in the alternative medical community is just a potent form of Amygdalin (Vitamin B17) found in apricot seeds.
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