Medicinal Uses of Tobacco

    In 1492, Christopher Columbus first saw Native Americans using tobacco as a remedy to various medial problems.  Medicinal uses of tobacco were brought back to Europe and from there a revolution began.  Tobacco was used for almost 250 years as a solution to every medical issue one could imagine. It was considered the pancrea of pancreas and was used for an extended period of time due to its addictive properties and the lack of other ailments as medicine.   

Tobacco Information

• The two most common species of tobacco used were Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica
• Tobacco contains nicotine, a colorless and oily liquid that is a poisonous alkaloid
• Nicotine binds to receptors in the brain that cause the release of various stimulating and pleasure inducing hormones
• The stimulation that it causes is the basis of its addictive properties

Some Medicinal Uses of Tobacco in the 17th and 18th Centuries

• Smoking tobacco to treat asthma                                                                                                              
• For an internal obstruction, an enema of tobacco was used

  

• Tobacco was injected into the vein to reduce the violent purges caused by the Cholera disease
• Powder form of tobacco was used to alleviate pain in the mouth
• Leaves of tobacco were mixed with lime to whiten teeth and diminish thirst

Reasons for its use for almost 250 years

• Tobacco was believed to work as a medicine because of how it binds to the receptors in the brain.  It released pleasure hormones or endorphines that made it seem like the pain or problem a person was having was gone.  The stimulating hormones that are released as well would make a person feel better because they have energy from the stimulation
• Tobacco's addictive properties would cause people to go through withdrawal like any other drug.  The withdrawal symptoms would seem like another illness and the person would revert back to tobacco.  The withdrawal symptoms would disappear and it makes tobacco look like the miracle cure.
• In Europe and other countries during the 17th and 18th centuries, there were no other cures for medical problems.  Therefore, even after tobacco was discovered to be harmful, doctors still prescribed tobacco as the solution.  They would rather give the patient some piece of mind rather than do nothing at all.