Nicotine and Related Alkaloids

Nicotine is an alkaloid which is present, together with a number of minor alkaloids, in tobacco and a wide variety of other plants. The introduction of tobacco as a therapeutic agent against diverse pathologi­ cal and physiological conditions resulted in the widespread exposure of people to nicotine, and the subsequent recognition of the pleasurable effects of tobacco consumption. Tobacco may be used for pleasure by smoking it in pipes, cigars or cigarettes or by taking it in unsmoked form as o