Posts Tagged ‘irritation’
Direct contact with nicotine can cause tissue irritation
A team of researchers from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) has participated in research that has shown that direct contact with nicotine may produce localized irritation, sources from the institution in Valencia.
Experts have found that nicotine activates a molecular receptor that is involved in the processes of inflammation and pain. This receptor, called TRPA1, is located in the nerve endings in the skin, as explained in the latest issue of the journal Nature Neuroscience.
The work, which has been tested in mice, indicates that activation of this receptor, an excitatory ion channel, may be responsible for the irritation produced by nicotine in anti smoking therapies when applied locally by nasal sprays or using patches over skin.
CSIC researcher Felix Viana of the Church said that “it was thought that the irritation produced by nicotine was due solely to stimulation of nicotine receptors already known.” “We – he continued – we have shown that nicotine can directly activate TRPA1 protein, which acts as a trigger of neuronal signals that transmit sensations of burning and pain.” Read the rest of this entry »