Physical, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Properties of Nicotine - Essay Example

NICOTINE Fact Sheet [Affiliation] What is Nicotine? Nicotine is a strong drug extracted from the tobacco plant and is a parasympathetic nervous system stimulant. The parasympathetic nervous system controls the various biochemical activities that take place when the body is relaxed or in the condition of rest. For example the parasympathetic nervous system controls arousal by excitation or de-excitation of various sex hormones, salivary glands, tear glands, urinary bladder, all activities related to digestion and excretion. Nicotine being a stimulant affects the parasympathetic nervous system and in turn effects the action of all these important glands in the body. Its effects are more prominent in a mammalian body because of abundance of nicotine receptors on the gangliosides. Manufactured in the roots of the plant belonging to solanaceae family Nicotine is stored in the leaves of plants which are crushed dried and used. In addition to its wide ranged utilization as a stimulant drug; nicotine is also used as a means to avoid gracing animals in the field. Hence it has a wide range of effects in the insecticide industry as well. The most common use of nicotine is in cigarettes. Many believe that the combination of nicotine and tar relaxes their brains and reduces anxiety. Its effect on the nervous system depends on average intake and the body’s capacity to tolerate its adversity. Nicotine has caused a wide spread addiction spreading from the youth years to old age. Ignorant of its harmful affects like constriction of walls of blood vessels also known as arteriosclerosis and increase in blood pressure; addicts throughout the world enjoy its parasymphathetic nervous system stimulating effects. Physical, chemical, and/or pharmaceutical properties of Nicotine ( 3-(1-Methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine The chemical structure of nicotine shows that it consists of a six carbon benzene ring chemically bonded to a five carbon ring. Both the rings are substituted with Nitrogen. So Nicotine is a hydrocarbon in chemical composition and therefore being highly non-polar it is only miscible in water completely if a temperature range of 79 to 212 degree centigrade is applied. ) It is hygroscopic in nature which means it absorbs water. Moreover it is oily in nature and because of its non polar characteristics, Nicotine is highly soluble in non-polar solvents like ether, carbon tetrachloride etcetera. The presence of Nitrogen allows it to form salts and acidic entities that are generally polar in nature. Its auto-ignition temperature is 244 degree centigrade. Moreover the drug has the capacity to rotate the direction of plane polarized light which shows that it is optically active. L or levorotatory forms are generally common in nature. However increase in temperature causes the nicotine salts to lose their optical properties. Nicotine has a less than 5% protein binding capacity which shows that as a drug it has a very little potency. Isothermal Titration Calorimetric techniques indicate very little heat emission when a cell sample was titrated with the drug. The amount of heat evolved depends on the amount of protein bonded to the drug. A mammalian body has large absorption in the blood stream of nicotine and a high metabolic rate in the liver. Nicotine has a half life of 1-2 hours. Chemical Formula: C10H14N2 (1) Density: Liquid: 1.01 g/cm3 at (68°F/39°F) (20°C/4°C) Gas: 5.6 (air = 1) (1) Boiling Point: 477°F (247°C) Aqueous solubility: Slightly soluble (1) Log Kow (estimated): 1.17 (1) Flammability: Combustible liquid (1) Flashpoint: 203°F (95°C) (1) Ionization potential: 8.01 eV (1) Molecular Mass: 162.23 (1) Melting Point: -110°F (-79°C) (1) Specific Gravity: 1.01 (1) Soluble In: Alcohol, chloroform, ether, petroleum ether, kerosene, and oils. (1) Vapor Pressure: 0.08 mm Hg at 68°F (20°C) 0.038 mm Hg at 77°F (25°C) (1) Potential routes of exposure in people Being in a powder form, nicotine can be easily spread. Most suitable vectors are air, water, edible items and crops. Water and air contamination are the easiest ways of pollution. Infection of agricultural items, crop etcetera can be fatal for both humans and livestock. Moreover mucous membranes, sebaceous glands are also potent vectors. When the nicotine is inhaled it enters the lungs and can be incorporated in the blood stream and utilizing the blood stream it can be transported to major organs of the body and eventually to the brain gangliosides in an average calculated duration of 3-4 minutes. A description of the chemical’s toxicity to humans (acute and/or chronic) including LD data, if available Nicotine’s toxicity of the human body depends on the dosage. The average lethal dose in humans is 0.5 to 1.0 mg/kg or from 40 to 60 milligrams. This low range of LD in humans indicate the greater toxicity of this chemical as very low levels can cause greater and harmful inflictions to the human body. Presently nicotine sprays, gums and gels have been introduced in the industry. Smoking tobacco does not cause aggravation of nicotine toxicity as much as gels and sprays increase its probability. Skin and endothelial membrane plays a major role in absorption of nicotine into the blood stream and consequently its transport to the brain. Inhalation transports comparatively lesser amounts. Recent and prior studies have established a link between nicotine and cancer. Thereby, recording it as a possible carcinogen but a more viable proof has to be provided in order to prove its carcinogenic properties. Along with being a prominent stimulant, nicotine also deranges cell cycle of life and death. It intermingles with enzymes especially kinases and boosts adregenic hormonal signals thereby causing cancer in the bowels. Interrupting the usual process of apoptosis causes the mutated or damaged cell bodies to exist which may proliferate and cause cancer anytime. Moreover nicotine stimulates the production of new blood vessels that provide a potential food source for the cancer cells. Better nutrition helps more mutated ligands to bind to cell-membrane receptors thereby increasing cancerous bodies within the blood stream. It has also been observed that a percentage of 76% of schizophrenic patients are addicted to nicotine smoking. LD50/LC50: A common measure of toxicity is the lethal dose (LD50) or lethal concentration (LC50) which causes death (resulting from a single or limited exposure) in 50 percent of the treated animals. LD50 is generally expressed as the dose in milligrams (mg) of chemical per kilogram (kg) of body weight. Examples of negative effects to non-human organisms and/or the environment including LD data. Nicotine from Cigarettes is the most potential means of discarding the toxin into the environment. Careless disposition of cigarette butts by smokers may allow ingestion by animals and eventual washing away into seas and oceans. Most common places hold the greatest probability of cigarette discard. These include pedestrian roads, outdoor sitting areas, streets, parks etcetera. Such places are often visited by stray or pet animals such as dogs, cats, crows; they are at the most potential risk of ingestion. Moreover, washing away into seas and oceans put aquatic livestock under a great threat of both human health and animal health. Not only is it a health hazard but also a population hazard. People stay away from places that do not guarantee appropriate life supporting strategies. The paradox of our society is drinking raw water from the woods is unsafe but the tap water is safe, the people are either under the impression or forced to believe by ritual that municipal water is safe to drink, that it is clean. More than 70% of people are aware enough to know the major factors of pollution but are ignorant enough to utilize their own rights for perfect health standards of life. Most are oblivious to the fact that nicotine is a fatal industry for the workers and for the consumers. It is very rare to witness a veterinary report stating poisoning of animals. However, it is very commonly reported in domestic animals as they can consume such drugs that can also manifest in the form of serious central nervous system problem, cardiovascular accidents and serious gastrointestinal problems. It is quite possible to study veterinary poison center data during follow up visits to get an insight into the outcomes of such exposures. So far data regarding cigarette butt consumption by living beings other than humans is largely deficient. It is however interesting to note that such consumption by animals does occur and it has been observed in various pets. Such domestic animals may develop complications that are worrisome for the pet owners. It is therefore safe to assert that wild animals are also at risk of butt consumption during their stay in the wildlife. (2) These cigarette butts can cause respiratory blockages in animals or be toxic enough to kill it as a whole. Animals with no special mechanism to kill the toxins die of toxicity (3). However some animals have been studied to be able to vomit out the toxic substances or regurgitate them. Sometimes the stomach acidity is enough to intoxicate the intruding chemical. While in other cases death is inevitable. Out of 4000 chemicals present in smoke-able cigarettes, approximately 50 are probable cancer causing agents. They are commonly used in agriculture and industrial sectors. These chemicals are usually incorporated in insecticides, pesticides and other medicines. When sprayed on the crops, these chemicals are inevitable ingested and absorbed in the blood stream of humans and when sprayed on fodder then in the blood stream of animals. Animals usually have a low tolerance level of such chemicals. Policy makers all over the world are taking this fact into careful consideration for wildlife preservation. References 1. CDC. "The Emergency Response Safety and Health Database: Systemic Agent: NICOTINE -NIOSH." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC, 14 Nov. 2014. Web. 24 Nov. 2014. 2. Novotny, Thomas E., Sarah N. Hardin, Lynn R. Hovda, Dale J. Novotny, Mary Kay McLean, and Safdar Khan. "Tobacco and cigarette butt consumption in humans and animals." Tobacco control 20, no. Suppl 1 (2011): i17-i20. 3. Schloat, Anson W., John O’Neill, and Donna Giachetti Navarro. "NO IFS, ANDS OR BUTTS: SMOKING KILLS." (2002). Read More