03.06.2013 Views

The Contribution of cocoa additive to cigarette smoking addiction

The Contribution of cocoa additive to cigarette smoking addiction

The Contribution of cocoa additive to cigarette smoking addiction

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

RIVM report 650270002 Page 61 <strong>of</strong> 207<br />

Sero<strong>to</strong>nin<br />

BENEFICIAL EFFECTS<br />

Sero<strong>to</strong>nin itself can be used as a drug in the treatment <strong>of</strong> myoclonus (48).<br />

Critical assessment<br />

Not relevant.<br />

Conclusion<br />

Not relevant.<br />

SUMMARY AND FINAL CONCLUSION<br />

Sero<strong>to</strong>nin contains the characteristic heterocyclic indole structure, accounting for the<br />

aromatic properties (electrophilic substitution). In addition the chemical; the presence<br />

<strong>of</strong> the ring bound hydroxyl group accounts for its polar character. An additional<br />

characterising chemical feature is the presence <strong>of</strong> the aliphatic amino-group.<br />

A source <strong>of</strong> sero<strong>to</strong>nin in <strong>to</strong>bacco is <strong>cocoa</strong> powder, which is used as a flavouring<br />

agent. Little is known about the pr<strong>of</strong>ile <strong>of</strong> pyrolysis/combustion products <strong>of</strong><br />

sero<strong>to</strong>nin.<br />

<strong>The</strong> daily intake via <strong>cigarette</strong>s smoke (estimated <strong>to</strong> be 15 µg/day) is low compared <strong>to</strong><br />

the oral intake via chocolate, <strong>cocoa</strong> drinks and banana (estimated 19 – 15000 µg/day),<br />

and <strong>to</strong> the endogeneous pool <strong>of</strong> sero<strong>to</strong>nin (10 mg).<br />

Sero<strong>to</strong>nin binds <strong>to</strong> a large family <strong>of</strong> sero<strong>to</strong>nin recep<strong>to</strong>rs (5-HT1-7 subtypes). Sero<strong>to</strong>nin<br />

stimulates and inhibits nerves and smooth muscles in the cardiovascular, respira<strong>to</strong>ry<br />

and gastrointestinal systems. Some contradic<strong>to</strong>ry results were obtained about the<br />

bronchoconstric<strong>to</strong>ry effect <strong>of</strong> sero<strong>to</strong>nin in humans in respira<strong>to</strong>ry studies. <strong>The</strong> main<br />

conclusion seems <strong>to</strong> be that sero<strong>to</strong>nin has a negligible effect on the bronchi. It has a<br />

pulmonary hypertension effect on the pulmonary system. Depending on the sero<strong>to</strong>nin<br />

level, it exerts complex effects on the cardiovascular system, including hypotension<br />

or hypertension, vasodilatation or vasoconstriction, and/or bradycardia or tachycardia.<br />

It also has complex effects on the CNS and is involved in the nicotine dependency.<br />

Sero<strong>to</strong>nin is an endogenous compound. It is widely distributed in the body and about<br />

90 % is s<strong>to</strong>red in the enterochromaffin cells <strong>of</strong> the gastrointestinal tract; the remainder<br />

is present in platelets and in CNS. Sero<strong>to</strong>nin is metabolized by monoamine oxidase; it<br />

is extensively removed from the plasma (70%) by the pulmonary microvascular<br />

endothelium during a single passage through the lungs. <strong>The</strong> turnover <strong>of</strong> sero<strong>to</strong>nin is<br />

1h in the brain <strong>to</strong> 17 h in the gastrointestinal tract. Pharmacokinetics on exogenous<br />

sero<strong>to</strong>nin through the respira<strong>to</strong>ry and the intestinal tract are not available.<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>to</strong>xicity data on sero<strong>to</strong>nin that are available in the literature are mostly related <strong>to</strong><br />

increased endogenous sero<strong>to</strong>nin or its metabolites level in the body by metabolic or<br />

medication effect. Acute <strong>to</strong>xicity <strong>of</strong> sero<strong>to</strong>nin is displayed when the endogenous<br />

sero<strong>to</strong>nin level is raised by exogenous fac<strong>to</strong>rs (drugs, food (banana or walnuts),<br />

tryp<strong>to</strong>phan) or by sero<strong>to</strong>nin hyperproduction (carcinoid tumor). <strong>The</strong> most common<br />

clinical symp<strong>to</strong>ms observed are: nausea, vomiting, headache, diarrhea and uremic<br />

anorexia. Animal I.V. LD50 varied between 12.8 mg/kg bodyweight for the guinea<br />

pig <strong>to</strong> 81 mg/kg body weight for the mouse. Chronic sero<strong>to</strong>nin <strong>to</strong>xicity is seen in

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!