K. Usuki et al., EFFECTS OF NICOTINE ON PERIPHERAL CUTANEOUS BLOOD-FLOW AND SKIN TEMPERATURE, Journal of dermatological science, 16(3), 1998, pp. 173-181
We hypothesized that if nicotine was used in a form that was not adult
erated with other hazardous substances found in tobacco, it would incr
ease cutaneous blood flow (CBF) resulting in an increase in skin tempe
rature. The effects of nicotine on CBF was investigated in 80 healthy
volunteers and 6 patients with peripheral circulation disturbances. Ea
ch subject was required to chew nicotine gum (containing 2 mg nicotine
) for 15 min and the CBF was then measured with laser blood flowmetry.
Skin temperature of 35 volunteers was measured with thermography befo
re and after chewing the gum for 15 min. A control study was performed
using ordinary gum without nicotine. Increased CBF (greater than or e
qual to + 1 ml/min/100 g) was observed in 55 of 86 subjects (64%, 33.7
-38.6 ml/min/100 g, P < 0.01). An elevation in skin temperature (> + 0
.1 degrees C) was also observed with nicotine gum in 26 of 35 healthy
subjects (74%, + 0.62 +/- 0.96 degrees C, P < 0.001). The increase in
CBF was greater in subjects in which the initial CBF was lower than in
others (P < 0.01). Nicotine gum was found to increase CBF (55/86) and
elevate skin temperature (26/35). The smaller the initial CBF value,
the greater was the increase in CBF. Nicotine or nicotine derivatives
might prove to be useful agents for the treatment of peripheral circul
ation disturbances. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights
reserved.