RESUMO
Nicotine forms the major addictive component of the tobacco smoke. The pancreas is one of the organs where the metabolic processes of tobacco take place. This work was designed to study the effect of nicotine administration and the effect of its withdrawal on the pancreas of albino rat. Twenty-five male albino rats were separated into two groups. Group I acted as control. Rats in group II received 1.5 mg/kg body weight of nicotine by subcutaneous injection day after day divided into two subgroups, each one containing ten rats. The first one received treatment for 4 months, and then the rats were sacrificed, while the second group received treatment for 4 months, and the rats were sacrificed after one month from treatment stoppage. The pancreases were removed and processed for histological examination and electron microscopy. Histopathological and electron microscopic examination of the pancreas of nicotinetreated rats showed degenerated and distorted pancreatic acini and β cells. These changes included pyknotic nucleus, cytoplasmic swelling, vacuolization and interstitial edema in pancreatic acinar cells. Some of the islets of Langerhans showed vaculation inside their cell and others did not show apparent changes. There was also a significant decrease in lipase and glucose levels. However, after withdrawal of nicotine, the pancreas showed more degenerated pancreatic acini and β cells. There was significant increase in blood glucose level and significant decrease in lipase of treated rats. Nicotine treatment for four months induced histopathological changes in both exocrine and endocrine pancreatic tissue that resemble the picture of chronic pancreatitis. These changes persisted long after cessation of nicotine exposure
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