Abstract
The study of the toxicological effect of nicotine is very important to understand the mechanism of tobacco-induced human diseases and to evaluate the potential risk factors associated with the therapeutic use of nicotine as an aid in quitting smoking. There are 15 male albino rats divided into two groups; group I; the control group administered normal saline solution (0.9% NaCl) intraperitoneally; group II the experimental group received for pure nicotine dissolved in saline solution at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg body wt/day for one month and stomach mucosa of fifteen mature male albino rats was investigated after they divided into two groups, Control group, was experimental group, was administered. At the end of the experiment rats were sacrificed and blood was collected, serum was separated and parts of the stomach were homogenated; filtrated, and stored at -80 degrees C for biochemical investigations. The levels of prostaglandins PG; Tumor necrosis factor alpha, TNF alpha; malondialdehyde, MDA; Gasterin and Ghrelin in serum and tissue homogenate of the control and experimental group. In addition, Paraffin sections of stomach were prepared and stained with HX&E to investigate the mucosa of stomach in rats of both groups and with stained with PAS for polysaccharides. The sections are examined under the light microscope and photographed. The results showed many histological, histochemical and biochemical changes in the mucosa of the rat stomach. Decrease in the level of PG while the levels of TNF alpha, MDA, Gasterin and Ghrelin were increase in nicotine-treated group compared to the control group.