Systemic and renal effect of nicotine in non-smokers: influence of vitamin C.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Controlled clinical trial without reported randomization or blinding in abstract
PubMed 11081781 · doi:10.1097/00004872-200018110-00019
What was done
Healthy non-smokers were evaluated across three groups receiving acute oral nicotine gum (4 mg, n = 10), intravenous vitamin C (12 mmol, n = 8), or both (n = 9). The authors measured mean arterial pressure, heart rate, glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow, and urinary cyclic guanosine monophosphate.
What was found
Nicotine alone increased mean arterial pressure (+8 +/- 4 mmHg, P < 0.0001) and heart rate (+13 +/- 8 beats/min, P < 0.001), while decreasing effective renal plasma flow (-65 +/- 69 ml/min per 1.73 m2, P < 0.01), glomerular filtration rate (-14.5 +/- 16.8 ml/min per 1.73 m2, P < 0.01), and cGMP (-180 +/- 173 pmol/min, P < 0.01). Combined nicotine and vitamin C produced similar hemodynamic changes, but cGMP remained unchanged compared to baseline. Vitamin C alone produced no significant changes in any measured parameter.
Why it matters
Vitamin C prevents the acute decline in cGMP provoked by nicotine, suggesting nitric oxide degradation occurs via oxygen radicals, but this does not protect against acute nicotine-mediated renal vasoconstriction.
Limits
The total sample size was small with 8 to 10 participants per group. The abstract does not state whether subjects were randomized or blinded, and only acute effects in healthy non-smokers were assessed.
Cited by
- supports Nicotine raises blood pressure and acts as a vasoconstrictor.