Nicotine is
Nicotine is a drug found in the leaves of snuff. When a smoker inhales nicotine, it goes directly to the lungs and blood. In seven seconds, a quarter of the nicotine has reached the brain through the pulmonary artery. It is a psychoactive drug and a powerful behavioral reinforcer that can produce severe chemical dependency on the consumer. Acts as the dose is as low-dose stimulant improving mental capacity, especially the concentration, and high doses have a sedative effect acting as a depressant.
It is in a ratio of 1 to 2% in cigarettes, so that a normal cigarette 1 gram contains 10 to 20 milligrams. 10% of the nicotine passes to cigarette smoke, which is 1 to 2 milligrams.
The nicotine is an organic compound, an alkaloid found in the snuff plant (Nicotiana tabacum), with high concentration in their leaves. Is about 5% by weight of the plant. The nicotine is named after Jean Nicot, who introduced the snuff in France in 1560.
It is synthesized in the areas of greatest activity of the roots of the plants of snuff, transported by the sap to the leaves green. The deposit is in the form of salts of organic acids.
It is a potent poison and even used in many insecticides (fumigant for greenhouses). At low concentrations, the substance is a stimulant and is one of the main factors of addiction to snuff. It is soluble in water.
The addiction to nicotine
Cigarette smoking is the predominant form of addiction to nicotine throughout the world. Currently, most cigarettes in the world market contain 1 to 2 milligrams (mg) or more of nicotine . As you inhale the smoke, the average smoker ingested 0.8 mg of nicotine per cigarette.
Also, the sales and consumption of smokeless snuff products have increased substantially and has recently been an increase in sales of cigars. The nicotine is absorbed through the skin and the lining of the mouth and nose or inhaled through the lungs. Molecule reaches the smoker’s brain soon. As you inhale, the smoke does get the nicotine to the lungs, with particles associated tar, hence, into the blood.
From ten to sixty seconds later, nicotine crosses the blood-brain barrier and enters the brain. When no smoke is inhaled, the nicotine is absorbed more slowly through the mucous membranes of the mouth. Of the approximately 3000 products containing the cigarette, only nicotine is addictive. Its disastrous effect in the ventral tegmentum of the midbrain and the nucleus accumbens of the forebrain, in areas that are part of the reward system. The nicotine is linked here to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) of neurons. Mimics the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is often attached to these canalicular proteins and thus ensures that plenty of dopamine neurons to release
Effects of Nicotine
The effects of nicotine in humans are dose dependent and may act as a stimulant or a blocker of nerve transmission node. As stimulating an increase in health care, improves memory and reduces irritability.
Because of its ability adictógena, the smoker tends to maintain blood levels of nicotine relatively constant, when these levels decrease the smoker feels the urge to smoke. If you do not meet state may develop irritability, nervousness, poor concentration, etc. These effects usually refer back to smoking. The smokers say that smoking calms them, but without neglecting the direct effects of nicotine , what really happens is that “no smoking” irritates them, have the “monkey.”
Moreover, smoking low- nicotine is not only ineffective in most cases, but also can harm a greater degree. When a smoker takes snuff low in nicotine , a noticeable decrease in the usual amount of nicotine you take, so they unconsciously tend to smoke more to compensate for the lack. As a result, ends adiministrándose the same amount of nicotine and a much more harmful products derived from extra snuff smoke smoked.
People who want to quit chewing gum can be used (though usually produce bad taste) or patches of nicotine , but be aware that this measure alone is not effective only in highly motivated subjects.
