Cotinine
Cotinine, the primary metabolite of nicotine, is currently regarded as the best biomarker of tobacco smoke exposure.
Results suggest that high cotinine levels in smokers with brain aneurysms are significantly associated with high rupture risk, independently of smoker status, age, and sex 1)
Has harmful effects on SCI via GFAP and CNP expression. The findings of the present study support the hypothesis that tobacco causes neuronal degeneration via cotinine 2).
1)
Missori P, de Sousa DA, Ambrosone A, Currà A, Paolini S, Incarbone G, Amabile E, Biraschi F, Diana F, Peschillo S. Cotinine levels influence the risk of rupture of brain aneurysms. Acta Neurol Scand. 2022 Aug 3. doi: 10.1111/ane.13679. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35920037.
2)
Dalgic A, Okay O, Helvacioglu F, Daglioglu E, Akdag R, Take G, Belen D.
Tobacco-induced neuronal degeneration via cotinine in rats subjected to
experimental spinal cord injury. J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2013
May;74(3):136-45. doi: 10.1055/s-0033-1337607. Epub 2013 Mar 19. PubMed PMID:
23512588.