Abstract
1 Neutrophils play a role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Most of the patients with ulcerative colitis are non-smokers.
2 Neutrophil function was examined in healthy males, five smokers and five non-smokers, measuring production of oxygen free radicals by chemiluminescence.
3 The chemiluminescence was examined in the presence of nicotine and its main metabolite cotinine in various concentrations.
4 10 mM nicotine inhibited production of oxygen free radicals (90.2% ± 11.6) compared with controls (P < 0.001), as did the same concentration of cotinine (58.9% ± 34.2), (P < 0.05).
5 1 mM solutions had no effect and 3 mM nicotine was required to achieve 50% inhibition.
6 Smokers and non-smokers did not differ.
7 Since plasma concentrations of nicotine after a cigarette are only between 5 and 15 mM, the observed effects of nicotine and cotinine in much higher pharmacological concentrations in this system are unlikely to be of clinical relevance in ulcerative colitis
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