Tobacco Chemical 'Halts Brain Diseases'

Ananova ^ | 11-11-2003

[blam]

Tobacco chemical 'halts brain diseases'

A tobacco chemical could provide new treatments for memory loss and brain diseases, according to new research.

The substance, cotinine, is obtained when the body breaks down nicotine.

But unlike nicotine, which has also been shown to protect brain cells, it is not addictive.

Nor does it cause other side effects of nicotine, such as constricted blood vessels, stomach cramps and nausea.

A team of US scientists led by Dr Jerry Buccafusco found that cotinine showed potential for the treatment of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's as well as symptoms of schizophrenia.

Dr Buccafusco, who presented the findings at the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in New Orleans, said: "Many people have thought the drug was an essentially inactive metabolite, but we have shown that at appropriate doses, it is memory enhancing, neuro-protective and it has antipsychotic activities.

"We hope this new appreciation for cotinine's potential will encourage people to take a look at cotinine and, if not the drug itself, maybe design newer compounds based on cotinine's structure that have fewer side effects than existing therapies."

"In the case of Alzheimer's, cotinine may share nicotine's ability to improve attention and memory and at the same time reduce or halt disease progression. One advantage of cotinine is that it could be used long-term with little concern about serious side effects and substance abuse."

Up to now, cotinine's main use has been as a marker for smoking. Testing a smoker's urine for cotinine can provide a measure of tobacco consumption.

Dr Buccafusco tested cotinine's effect on the memory of monkeys playing a computer game.

Story filed: 17:35 Tuesday 11th November 2003

[facedown]

A tobacco chemical could provide new treatments for memory loss...

Well I smoke 2 1/2 packs a day and...............what was I saying?

[Roughneck]

A tobacco derivative has also been known to be apossible cancer cure.

I will believe 'till the day I die that the MEDICAL usess for the tobacco plant is why BIG BROTHER has been trying to get it out of the hands of "the people" and why the government now seekd to regulate tobacco.

It aint our health they are worried about - nor are they worried about the "widdle childwen" breathing secind-hand smoke!

It is the MONEY, not the health issues. Why have the govmt not stopped tobacco growers?

hmmm...pause for thought.

[tomakaze]

re:I will believe 'till the day I die that the MEDICAL usess for the tobacco plant is why BIG BROTHER has been trying to get it out of the hands of "the people" and why the government now seekd to regulate tobacco.
 
I'm with you on that.
I know for a fact that it's good for easing asthma.

[Luke Skyfreeper]

So now we know why God gave us tobacco.

[ellery]

It's not entirely far-fetched. If you believe in natural selection, then it's likely there is some benefit to substances man has consistently used on a widespread basis for thousands of years. That doesn't mean, of course, that such substances can't also be abused....

[ellery]

ping

[RandallFlagg]

Rush talked about something like this last year. It's on his 24-7 site.

[struwwelpeter]

Blackleaf 40 (tm) used to great for ants.

[Roughneck]

I'm with you on that.
I know for a fact that it's good for easing asthma.


Good sarcasm! But, I'm talking about chemical derivitives of the tobacco plant itself - not smoking it.

If smokers continue to smoke however, then that means less tobacco for medical research and less money for the government. The government must control this product so that the monies received for regulation of tobacco are given to the government when science developes cures from tobacco derivitives.

[cinFLA]

I know for a fact that it's good for easing asthma.

You are confused. It is marijuana that cures all ills including asthma.

[tomakaze]

re: Good sarcasm!
 
[looks embarrassed]... actually I was being serious.
I've got first hand anecdotal experience with it, but a quick google should turn some stuff up.

[tomakaze]

re:You are confused. It is marijuana that cures all ills including asthma
 
I don't know much about the medical benefits of mary jane, aside from the fact that it's great for taking the edge off a nasty hangover.
(but then again, menudo's good for that as well)

[xrp]

You are confused. It is marijuana that cures all ills including asthma.

Does water cure anything? If it doesn't, why do you consume it then?

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[Sir Gawain]

I know for a fact that it's good for easing asthma.

How is that possible when smoking tobacco constricts the airways in your lungs?

[tomakaze]

re: How is that possible when smoking tobacco constricts the airways in your lungs?
 
don't know. Something to do with the nicotine I guess.
My best friend growing up had pretty bad asthma (pluerqsy I think - neither of his folks smoked). He picked up the habit when we where in high school and stopped having breathing problems.
Same scenerio with another running buddy (who didn't have it near as bad but still had to use an inhaler on a regular basis - till he started smoking.)

[Sir Gawain]

Hmm, I don't know. Many people outgrow asthma naturally. I did. It seems counterintuitive that a chemical that makes it harder for oxygen to get into your bloodstream helps with asthma. Never heard that before. I'll try to find some research on it.

[robertpaulsen]

"A team of US scientists led by Dr. Jerry Buccafusco"

Wasn't this the guy that had sex with that Amy Fisher when she was 16? Then she shot his wife?

I didn't know he was a doctor.

[cinFLA]

Buttafuoco