Effect of nicotine on large bowel mucus thickness, eicosanoids and faecal proteinase in ferrets

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Abstract
Following observations on the effect of subcutaneous nicotine on rectal mucosal eicosanoids and mucus in the rabbit we have repeated the work in ferrets which may be a more suitable animal model. The effect of nicotine on mucosal eicosanoids, the adherent mucus layer, and faecal proteinases in the large bowel of ferrets was examined in forty animals randomly allocated to five groups, a control and four treatment groups. They were given subcutaneous saline or nicotine via an Alzet pump in doses of 0.3, 0.6, 1.2 and 2.0 mg/kg/day for 10 days and then sacrificed; measurements were made of serum nicotine and cotinine levels, rectal mucosal eicosanoids, adherent rectal and colonic mucus thickness, and faecal proteinases. No significant differences were observed for any measurements, except for serum nicotine and cotinine levels, which were raised consistent with the dose given. Nicotine had no effect on measurements, which may possibly be important in the relationship between smoking and ulcerative colitis.

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