Nicotine: The Cure for SCI?

[Ryan B]

Has anyone ever tried using nicotine to cure SCI's? The reason I ask is because nicotine is known to not only induce stem cell proliferation and recruitment but also to stimulate and reinforce neuronal interconnections. I have used nicotine myself to see if it proved to be effective. It was effective. The secret to success seems to be a matter of dosage (high dosage vs. low dosage). http://www.ibridgenetwork.org/stanfo...ll-recruitment http://www.sciencedirect.com/science...28425705000690

[Ryan B]

Here are some studies cited by Wise Young in a related thread which strongly suggest benefits for nicotine: (1) Audesirk & Cabell (1999) reported that nicotine not only did not influence neuronal survival or neurite production but increases the branching of both axons and dendrites. Cotinine, the metabolic byproduct of nicotine, however, at relatively high concentrations of 100-1000 nM reduced neuronal survival and neurite production. Coronas, et al. (2000) found that acetylcholine (the neurotransmitter that nicotine mimics) induces neuritic outgrowth in the rat olfactory bulb. (2) Coronas V, Durand M, Chabot JG, Jourdan F and Quirion R (2000). Acetylcholine induces neuritic outgrowth in rat primary olfactory bulb cultures. Neuroscience. 98 (2): 213-9. Summary: The rat olfactory bulb is innervated by basal forebrain cholinergic neurons and is endowed with both nicotinic and muscarinic receptors. The development of this centrifugal cholinergic innervation occurs mainly in early postnatal stages. This developmental time-course and the demonstration that acetylcholine can modulate some aspects of neuronal proliferation, differentiation or death, suggests the possible involvement of cholinergic afferents in the morphogenesis and/or plasticity of the olfactory bulb. The purpose of the present work was to assess whether acetylcholine could modulate neuronal morphogenesis in the olfactory bulb. Toward this aim, we developed a primary culture model of rat olfactory bulbs. Three major cell types were identified on the basis of their morphological and immunocytochemical phenotype: neuronal-shaped cells expressing the neuronal markers neuron specific enolase, microtubule associated protein 2, neural cell adhesion molecule and beta-tubulin III; glial-like cells immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein and flattened cells immunolabelled with antibodies against beta-tubulin III and nestin, most likely neuronal precursors. After three to six days of treatment with 100-microM carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, significant increase in neuritic length was observed in cultured olfactory bulb neurons. The neurite outgrowth effect of carbachol was abolished by co-treatment with 1 microM alpha-bungarotoxin, an alpha 7 subunit nicotinic receptor antagonist, but was not affected by the addition of 10 microM atropine, a general muscarinic antagonist. The effect of carbachol was also mimicked by the nicotinic agonists, nicotine (100 microM) and epibatidine (10 microM). This pharmacological profile suggested the involvement of nicotinic receptors of the alpha 7-like subtype as confirmed using 125I-alpha-bungarotoxin receptor autoradiography.Taken together, these data argue for a role for nicotinic receptors in neuritic outgrowth in the rat olfactory bulb and provide a cellular support to the previously described effects of acetylcholine on olfactory bulb plasticity in vivo. Douglas Hospital Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 6875 LaSalle Boulevard, Quebec, H4H 1R3, Verdun, Canada.

[t8burst]

It was effective how? What level are you and specifically what gains did you make. Are you suggesting I go from a half a pack a day of marborlo lights to 2 packs of camels

[Ryan B]

LOL! No, I'm not suggesting anybody take up smoking. I've obtained sensation in my lower body from using nicotine patches. Lower dosages seem to be more effective than high dosages for some reason. There is much research which seems to show that nicotine is known to induce neuropathic pain in people who have SCI's but I've never experienced such pain from using nicotine. If the dosage is too high the beneficial effects are diminished. I suspect what people are calling neuropathic (presumably "phantom") pains might actually be real recovery of sensation due to repair of the spinal cord but the brain doesn't know how to interpret the signals or the signal is corrupted due to the integrity of the signal and so one may experience a myriad of sensations including pain. I have heard similar side-effects occur in people whom regain some function post injury where they develop a problem with neuropathy (which they didn't have before). This is presumably due to the aforementioned problem with the integrity of the signal or the brain's interpretation of the signal (or both). I suspect if the connection were to improve and time allowed for the brain to remap and adjust the problem would subside. Just a thought.

[Ryan B]

One caution about nicotine patches. I've noticed that the ones which have aluminum coatings on them seem to result in absorption of aluminum in my experience. I can't prove this but I would get a metallic taste in my mouth from them. I felt like I was getting blood clots in my lungs from the effects of the aluminum too. So, I use an aluminum free patch and don't get that sensation of blood clots. Just my two cents worth.

Another issue I should point out is that I've tried chewing tobacco and e-cigs but the artificial sweeteners they use seem to counteract the benefits. They have unflavored e-cig liquids but I don't trust those. They are not regulated at all. Not even like foods. You don't know what you're getting with those. Nicotine patches, the lower dosages, work best.

[CAS]

One caution about nicotine patches. I've noticed that the ones which have aluminum coatings on them seem to result in absorption of aluminum in my experience. I can't prove this but I would get a metallic taste in my mouth from them. I felt like I was getting blood clots in my lungs from the effects of the aluminum too. So, I use an aluminum free patch and don't get that sensation of blood clots. Just my two cents worth.

Another issue I should point out is that I've tried chewing tobacco and e-cigs but the artificial sweeteners they use seem to counteract the benefits. They have unflavored e-cig liquids but I don't trust those. They are not regulated at all. Not even like foods. You don't know what you're getting with those. Nicotine patches, the lower dosages, work best.

Line Up Line Up now

and get your Dr Zulu snake oil mixture - i promise it will fix anything from your love life to spinal injury

line up line up only $10 a bottle sir

[KK11]

when you are doing three circles with your wheelchair and then say 5 times im cured!! then you can walk again!! what a senseless bullshit.......

[chris arnold]

Nicotine is one of those things, deadly in excess but in minute dosages, like strychnine hydrochloride can show therapeutic properties. Cas's reservations about aluminium ate important, it's chronic effects on the body are likely to be harmful. Perhaps the "nicorette" gums used by smokers may be worth a consideration?

However, the reports do indicate a lack of quantification; without this there is no firm basis for claims.

[Ryan B]

Line Up Line Up now

and get your Dr Zulu snake oil mixture - i promise it will fix anything from your love life to spinal injury

line up line up only $10 a bottle sir

I'm not selling anything. I'm GIVING IT AWAY. See the difference? If you don't believe me that I've obtained benefits maybe you should take a look at the references I cited which show there's a potential for benefit and possibly a cure (if used properly).

[Ryan B]

when you are doing three circles with your wheelchair and then say 5 times im cured!! then you can walk again!! what a senseless bullshit.......

What? I'm not sure what you're trying to say.

[Ryan B]

Nicotine is one of those things, deadly in excess but in minute dosages, like strychnine hydrochloride can show therapeutic properties. Cas's reservations about aluminium ate important, it's chronic effects on the body are likely to be harmful. Perhaps the "nicorette" gums used by smokers may be worth a consideration?

However, the reports do indicate a lack of quantification; without this there is no firm basis for claims.

I looked at those gums and steered clear because they have artificial sweeteners which seem to reverse any progress I make in recovering sensation. Those artificial sweeteners are known to be neurotoxic. Especially aspartame if it's heated. I'd advise you to look into that subject.

[Ryan B]

Nicotine is one of those things, deadly in excess but in minute dosages, like strychnine hydrochloride can show therapeutic properties. Cas's reservations about aluminium ate important, it's chronic effects on the body are likely to be harmful. Perhaps the "nicorette" gums used by smokers may be worth a consideration?

However, the reports do indicate a lack of quantification; without this there is no firm basis for claims.

What do you mean by a lack of quantification? Quantities and dosages were specified in the references I cited. So what are you talking about?

[t8burst]

The first reference you cite talk about stem cells relating to blood (hematopoietic) which have nothing to do with stem cells that would promote axional growth. There is no reference at all cited about how nicotine would promote growth across an injured spinal cord.

Sorry man, it is hard to take your claims seriously.

[CAS]

I'm not selling anything. I'm GIVING IT AWAY. See the difference? If you don't believe me that I've obtained benefits maybe you should take a look at the references I cited which show there's a potential for benefit and possibly a cure (if used properly).

The point being made was not the sale but the product being pushed as a grand deal to cure the spinal cord.

As mentioned nicotine has good and bad effects like most things, but on its own do's not develop into a cure of the spinal cord or we would all be doing it.

[c473s]

One caution about nicotine patches. I've noticed that the ones which have aluminum coatings on them seem to result in absorption of aluminum in my experience. I can't prove this but I would get a metallic taste in my mouth from them. I felt like I was getting blood clots in my lungs from the effects of the aluminum too. So, I use an aluminum free patch and don't get that sensation of blood clots. Just my two cents worth.

Another issue I should point out is that I've tried chewing tobacco and e-cigs but the artificial sweeteners they use seem to counteract the benefits. They have unflavored e-cig liquids but I don't trust those. They are not regulated at all. Not even like foods. You don't know what you're getting with those. Nicotine patches, the lower dosages, work best.

Can you tell us exactly what the patches did for you?
How many blood clots have you had in your lungs? Were these self diagnosed and is that the basis for your statement "I felt like I as getting blood clots in my lungs"?