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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
5Senior Resident, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Government Dental College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India 6Junior Resident, Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Government Dental College, Kozhikode, Kerala, India
Tobacco in any form is harmful. It affects our heart, lungs, blood circulation, stomach, mouth, eye, skin, reproduction, and fertility, but nicotine which is the main constituent of tobacco has a history, which is irreprehensible. Even after it was popularized in Europe tobacco was considered a panacea for more than 65 ailments. These include treatment of minor problems like bleeding, fever, and insect bite to major pathologies like rodent ulcers, strangulated hernia, tetanus, gout, and neuralgia. Recent epidemiologic and animal model studies have proven various potential benefits of tobacco in diseases like Parkinsonism, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune conditions, inflammatory diseases, and endometrial and thyroid carcinoma. If we can get to the bottom of the cellular and molecular mechanism of the components of tobacco and repress the detrimental effect of tobacco with more experiments and research, tobacco can be the panpharmacon. This topic incorporates the history, beneficial effects of tobacco, and the mechanism of action of its components so that it may be used for the benefit of society.
