Discuss Article: Is Tobacco the unlikely Alzheimer cure?

drpepperdude

So I just saw this article buried at the bottom of the sign-off page after signing out of hotmail:

Is Tobacco the unlikely Alzheimer cure? (Star Scientific is developing CigRx, a nicotine-based compound that could help reduce brain inflamation and fight the disease).

Even though the article makes the up front requisite politically correct condemnations of tobacco, it grudgingly acknowledges the possibility of this company being on to something and it's future viability to help stave off Alzheimer's.

Immediately my thoughts are:

1) If large pharmaceutical companies start getting their hands stained with nicotine (see what I did there?) due to any newfound medicinal uses... how would their lobbying affect tobacco in general? Lower taxes for tobacco? Lower prices on cigars for us?

2)More investment in better tobacco crops? Would they attempt to buy out tobacco companies or have a stake in them to have a guaranteed supply of "pharmaceutical-grade tobacco"?

3) Perhaps pour money into the ongoing campaign to reverse the increasing restrictions on tobacco?

I'm sure I'm missing some other salient points... but I can't help but think of the implications - both good and bad - if some of the world's largest and most powerful companies got behind tobacco products.

Discuss!

xmacro

Unless tobacco cures AIDS, I don't ever see it happening. There are too many anti-tobacco groups, and there's too much money flowing through them, to ever change their perceptions; there's just too much for them to lose for them to change their minds.

Ken_Light

You're missing a key point: the research points to one chemical, commonly found in tobacco, as having a possible neuroprotective effect that could stave off alzheimer's dementia.

What happens now is that this chemical will be extracted from tobacco, packaged in some manner for administration, and begin trials for use as a drug.

Let's just, for shiggles, assume that the drug is safe and works AND the FDA approves it. One of two things happen.

1) Tobacco is bought by whatever pharmaceutical group patents its drug first (or multiple groups marketing slightly different drugs) and EXTRACTS the chemical from it. This increases demand and probably nets, if anything, an overall increase in tobacco prices in cigars/cigarettes.

2) The lucky drug company is able to SYNTHESIZE the chemical in the laboratory, eliminating the need to ever buy tobacco again. This does nothing to tobacco prices because it no longer involves tobacco.

What's not going to happen is doctors prescribing anything but the chemical, whether its synthesized or extracted. Because of that, nothing will happen to tobacco taxes and nothing will change about how tobacco products and their consumers are looked at in the public eye. And, finally, nothing will change in terms of fascist, nanny-state laws restricting the consumption of tobacco products in public (and even private!) places.

This is interesting research for anyone interested in neuroprotection and the treatment of AD. Not so much for anyone interested in restoring their freedom to consume tobacco products in peace.

Rob1110

This isn't new research. Links to tobacco users having lower risks of quite a few neurological disorders have been around for a while. Again, they state the obvious drawbacks of tobacco producing carcinogens. I doubt much will come of this. There's also plenty of evidence supporting people who keep their brains active (as simple as doing the daily crossword) after retirement are at a lower risk for AD. Though there is a component of many of these neurological diseases that is genetic.

Ken_Light

Rob1110:

There's also plenty of evidence supporting people who keep their brains active (as simple as doing the daily crossword) after retirement are at a lower risk for AD.

My former lab is about to publish a report on this in the journal Learning and Memory, using a mouse-model of general intelligence and a working memory training regiment to stave off, not alzhemiers per se, but age-related cognitive decline. It was work that started while I was working on my dissertation so I'm on there as last author and my academic advisor, Lou matzel, is first author.

I think what's new here, though, is the isolation of the chemical. The journalist's characterization of tobacco as an 'unlikely' source for such a chemical is terribly misinformed, it has been (as you've correctly pointed out) a very likely candidate.

Rob1110

Ken Light:

My former lab is about to publish a report on this in the journal Learning and Memory, using a mouse-model of general intelligence and a working memory training regiment to stave off, not alzhemiers per se, but age-related cognitive decline. It was work that started while I was working on my dissertation so I'm on there as last author and my academic advisor, Lou matzel, is first author.

Interesting work. Always good to see another science geek around. When I took my neuro course back to back with cancer bio, it really made me wanna say "F-it" to the whole science thing. Smoke if you don't wanna go nuts, but don't smoke if you don't want cancer. Too many contradictions. But hey, that's biology.

Amos_Umwhat

Ken, you make excellent points, but you forgot #3. James Sokolove runs ads asking: "Have you or a loved one ever died after using "chemical X"? If so contact our offices so we can make million$ off your tragedy, while issuing YOU a check for 99 cents.

Ken_Light

Amos Umwhat:

Ken, you make excellent points, but you forgot #3. James Sokolove runs ads asking: "Have you or a loved one ever died after using "chemical X"? If so contact our offices so we can make million$ off your tragedy, while issuing YOU a check for 99 cents.

Hahaha, nice!

Redtailhawkoz

xmacro:

Unless tobacco cures AIDS, I don't ever see it happening. There are too many anti-tobacco groups, and there's too much money flowing through them, to ever change their perceptions; there's just too much for them to lose for them to change their minds.

Having some Inside Knowledge of Laboratory testing... My Ex's Borther is the head of Aids Research of Abbot Labs in Chicago and has been working on a cure or Vacine for AIds since the mid 70's before anyone ever heard of AIDS..... Our Government does Not want to fin d the Cure for ANYTHING>>>>> To many BIG Money Mo Fos have money invested in Pharmacuticals and Labs and Crap to Prolong life and help symptoms. Case in Point... Abbott Labs truly wanted to Find something to Beat AIds or Vacinate from it... so ABBoTT moved his Entire Family to Germany for several years so that he coulkd use procedures and things that OUR government WILL NOT ALLOW Them to use! ITS BS.... you want to know what Health Care and Drugs are so expensive... THERE YOU have it in a Nut Shell...... they lived in Germany..... All expenses Paid for, home,new Audi cars, outragouse Spending acount and get this..... mean while his entire 250,000 plus a year Salary went into the bank, his home here in the states was paid for ( monthley Mortgage.. he also renbted out the home for years..... i could go on but it makes me Sick...... so in the 4-5 years he lived in germany, testing etc...... he banked ruffly 7 Million, his home here was paid off, and he is now still currently working as a Senior advisor for abbott , pulling doen close to 500 grand a year and can retire full pension at the age of 62 after 30 years with them. LOL We are all PUTZ>

Ken_Light

Redtailhawkoz:

xmacro:

Unless tobacco cures AIDS, I don't ever see it happening. There are too many anti-tobacco groups, and there's too much money flowing through them, to ever change their perceptions; there's just too much for them to lose for them to change their minds.

Having some Inside Knowledge of Laboratory testing... My Ex's Borther is the head of Aids Research of Abbot Labs in Chicago and has been working on a cure or Vacine for AIds since the mid 70's before anyone ever heard of AIDS..... Our Government does Not want to fin d the Cure for ANYTHING>>>>> To many BIG Money Mo Fos have money invested in Pharmacuticals and Labs and Crap to Prolong life and help symptoms. Case in Point... Abbott Labs truly wanted to Find something to Beat AIds or Vacinate from it... so ABBoTT moved his Entire Family to Germany for several years so that he coulkd use procedures and things that OUR government WILL NOT ALLOW Them to use! ITS BS.... you want to know what Health Care and Drugs are so expensive... THERE YOU have it in a Nut Shell...... they lived in Germany..... All expenses Paid for, home,new Audi cars, outragouse Spending acount and get this..... mean while his entire 250,000 plus a year Salary went into the bank, his home here in the states was paid for ( monthley Mortgage.. he also renbted out the home for years..... i could go on but it makes me Sick...... so in the 4-5 years he lived in germany, testing etc...... he banked ruffly 7 Million, his home here was paid off, and he is now still currently working as a Senior advisor for abbott , pulling doen close to 500 grand a year and can retire full pension at the age of 62 after 30 years with them. LOL We are all PUTZ>

Yeah, but...dude was trying to effing cure AIDS. I guess he didn't succeed, but still...if he had, I think anyone would agree he could have all that **** and more for it...

You're right about there being no money in a cure though. Big problem for medical research. All the big killer research suffers from it.