NICOTINE - HOW IT WORKS?

 

What It Is?



Nicotine is a plant alkaloid, which means that it's a naturally occurring chemical that contains nitrogen. It's also a highly addictive stimulant. Nicotine is most popularly known for its use in cigarettes and tobacco products, but it has some other uses.

Although nicotine is predominantly found in tobacco plants, it’s also present in tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and green pepper plants. And while they all belong to the nightshade family, the quantities of nicotine in these other plants are much lower than in tobacco plants.

 

How It Works?

 

There are certain proteins in our bodies referred to as receptors. These receptors only receive specific neurotransmitters or chemicals. The receptors that nicotine binds to are called nicotinic-cholinergic receptors. Nicotine is an agonist, which means that when it binds to receptors, it brings about a biological response.

Nicotinic-cholinergic receptors are found in many places in the body including the brain, neuromuscular junctions (areas of chemical communication between nerves and muscles), the inner part of the adrenal gland, and ganglia (groups of nerve cells).

Nicotine‘s stimulating abilities come from the fact that when it binds to receptors, neurotransmitters (messenger chemicals) like dopamine, acetylcholine, beta-endorphin, norepinephrine, serotonin, and ACTH are released in the body.

Some of these neurotransmitters—like dopamine, beta-endorphin, and serotonin—regulate pleasure, mood, emotion, and pain relief. The dopamine release, for instance, is what causes one to feel pleasure after smoking a cigarette.

Other neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, control physiological responses like heart contractions and muscle movements. This is why a person’s heart rate might speed up, arteries constrict or their blood pressure becomes elevated right after nicotine is consumed.



ALSO READ:

UNDERSTANDING NICOTINE AND NICOTINE STRENGTH IN E-LIQUID

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5 SURPRISING BENEFITS OF NICOTINE

NICOTINE SALTS FOR VAPERS

 

 

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