Investigation of the therapeutic effect of nicotine and its metabolites on the brain

The effect of Cotinine, active metabolite of nicotine, on Aβ1-42 neurotoxicity was investigated. Cotinine possesses a longer plasma half-life, lower toxicity and it is a partial agonist of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR). Cotinine prolonged the survival of cortical neurons exposed to Aβ1-42. These results indicated that cotinine has a neuroprotective effect by inhibition of the formation of amyloid beta in the brain. The nicotine and its metabolites function in the brain are controversial. In this review, the mechanism of nicotine and the metabolites on neuronal physiology were studied, also their effects on learning and memory were investigated.Some studies indicate the pharmacological action of nicotine in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. There are three nicotine active metabolites that have pharmacological effects in some parts of the brain, such as cotinine, norcotinine, nornicotine, also cotinine, and nornicotine both had beneficial effects in learning and memory without adverse effects.