Effect of nicotine on bone healing in rats - A histological study

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Nicotine is the major alkaloid in tobacco products (Nicotiona tabacum) and a psychoactive ingredient responsible for the Central Nervous System (CNS) effects and tobacco addiction. It’s been reported to have effects directly on the small blood vessels in producing vasoconstriction and increased vascular resistance that exerts on the microvasculature inhibiting the angioblastic response during re-vascularization and limits the recruitment of cytokines, Bone Morphogenic Proteins (BMPs), Transforming Growth Factor – β (TGF – β), Platelet Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) and the basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF). This leads to inhibition of re-epithelialization, osteogenesis and cellular healing. This study intends to demonstrate histologically the effect of nicotine on bone healing and the healing of bone defects incorporated with autogenous bone graft in an animal model. Methods: 60 female Wistar rats were used in the study. Nicotine hemisulfate at a dose of 3mg/kg body weight of the animal given twice daily for 4 weeks prior to creation of a bone defect. The defect on the ramus of the mandible and the healing in the defect was evaluated at weekly intervals for four weeks for both the quality and quantity of new bone formation by histological and histomorphometric analysis. Results: Significant impairment of healing of bone both in the early and late stages due to the influence of Nicotine was seen. Conclusion: In our study, incorporation of autogenous bone did significantly improve the bone healing process in the end stages of healing while nicotine significantly impaired the healing of bone in early stages.

Keywords

• Nicotine Hemi-sulfate
• Bone Defect
• Bone Healing
• Autogenous bone graft
• Histomorphometry