Nicotine

• It is an alkaloid, oily liquid soluble in water and has considerable volatility at ordinary temperature.
• It is poisonous to mammals.
• However, nicotine is not highly addictive on its own. It is thought that the interaction between nicotine and β-carbolines, that is responsible for most of the addictive properties of tobacco smoking.
• The alkaloid, nicotine occurs only in genus Nicotiana. Its chemical formula is

• Nicotine is produced in the roots of the tobacco plant from a simple compound formed in the leaves and nitrogen from the soil.
• After synthesis, it is carried throughout the plant system except the seeds.
• Strength of tobacco and its smoke is primarily dependent on nicotine content.
• Nicotine accumulation is directly related to the level of nitrogen.