Results of a recent study have revealed that a by-product of nicotine encourages the body to produce and accumulate a group of substances called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs), which are linked to a number of diseases as well as general aging. Drs Kim D Janda and Tobin J Dickerson of The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, found that nornicotine causes a chemical reaction that encourages the body to accumulate a specific AGE. They also found that smokers had higher blood levels of the substances than non-smokers. In addition, tests showed that nornicotine interacts with the steroid prednisone and forms byproducts that interfere with the action of the drug and may also have harmful effects on the body. Thus, raising the possibility that nornicotine may also interact with other drugs. The researchers concluded that their findings suggest the existence of an “unrecognized pathway” through which tobacco use can damage health. Janda stresses that the findings are not only relevant to smokers, as people who use any type of nicotine product, for example nicotine patches and gums, will also be at risk.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2002;10.1073/pnas.222561699
