Effect of systemic administration of nicotine on healing in osseous defects. An experimental study in rabbits. Part II.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of systemic administration of nicotine on bone healing in osseous defects in the tibia of rabbits.


METHODS
Sixteen female rabbits received nicotine (n=8; test group) or saline (n=8; control group) via subcutaneously placed mini-osmotic pumps for 8 weeks. The animals underwent three surgical operations during the experimental period, and body weight was registered weekly. Blood samples were collected to determine cotinine and prostaglandin E(2) levels. Bone preparations were made in the right leg of all rabbits after 4 weeks and in the left leg after 6 weeks of nicotine/placebo exposure. Thus, 2- and 4-week healing groups were created for the bone defects. After 8 weeks, the animals were killed. Tissue blocks including the bone defects were prepared for histological analysis.


RESULTS
The animals in the test group lost weight, while the control group gained weight during the experiment. The prostaglandin E(2) levels in plasma increased significantly following nicotine exposure in the test group. No significant differences in the percentage of vessels and bone density in the osseous defects were found between the test and the control groups after 2 and 4 weeks of healing.


CONCLUSIONS
In this experiment, systemic administration of nicotine over 4 or 6 weeks, respectively, influenced body weight and systemic prostaglandin E(2) levels but not the amount of blood vessels and the bone mineral density in bone defects after 2 or 4 weeks of healing.
Balatsouka
Dimitra
D
Department of Prosthetic Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Health Science Faculty, University of Copenhagen, Norre Allé 20, 2200 CPH N, Copenhagen, Denmark. dbalatsouka@yahoo.com
Gotfredsen
Klaus
K
Sørensen
Lars
L
Lindh
Christian H
CH
Berglundh
Tord
T
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015918:Infusion Pumps, Implantable; D009538:Nicotine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D011817:Rabbits; D013977:Tibia / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D010919:Placebos; D009538:Nicotine; D003367:Cotinine; D015232:Dinoprostone