ISSN: 2577-4360
Authors: Milad A and Zahra A*
There are concerns about the spread of cigarette smoking and nicotine is the most harmful agent in cigarette smoke. The statics show the growing use of cigarette smoking. Nicotine is an alkaloid and is present in the leaves of tobacco where it acts as a botanical insecticide. It represents 90% of total alkaloid in cigarette smoke. Osteoporosis, lung and kidney injuries, diseases of respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and increased risk of malignancy are just a few of toxic effects of nicotine on the body. Nicotine exerts its harmful effects via oxidative stress pathway, so that it enhances the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and then negatively affects different organs and systems of body. This review provides a comprehensive review of detrimental effects of nicotine on the body and then describes its mechanism of toxicity.
Keywords: Nicotine; Reactive oxygen species; Toxicity; Organs; Systems
