Nicotine and Menthol as Possible Treatments for SARS-CoV-2

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

Although this particular subject is related to conspiracy surrounding the latest menthol cigarette ban, it really belongs in this forum. All the information in this post is from the National Institute of Health.

Although not technically a medical treatment, nicotine and menthol could possibly be used to treat COVID-19. At a molecular level, nicotine may help prevent a cytokine storm from COVID-19 and menthol may have a synergistic relationship with nicotine that boosts this effect. Below is information from the NIH on nicotine and menthol.

Nicotine can selectively reduce the inflammatory response in various infection states, including Legionella pneumophila and Chlamydia pneumoniae infection, via the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway [6]. Nicotine is an agonist at the α7 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine (α7-nACh) receptors on innate immune cells such as macrophages. These receptors respond to acetylcholine from different sources, including other immune cells and the vagus nerve, and their activation causes suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Nicotine is able to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by mimicking the binding of acetylcholine . . .

In the absence of any effective treatment for COVID-19, further research as to whether nicotine replacement offers protection against severe SAR-CoV-2 infection in smokers is clearly essential. If the mechanisms through which nicotine may interact with the virus remain speculative, the effects of route of administration, duration, dosing and frequency of use of nicotine on any such interaction are unknown.

Above is evidence, from the NIH, that states "Nicotine is able to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines", but of course, "Smoking is bad and you must quit smoking!".

But what of menthol?

Menthol Enhances the Desensitization of Human α3β4 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors

Abstract - The α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype is widely expressed in the peripheral and central nervous systems, including in airway sensory nerves. The nAChR subtype transduces the irritant effects of nicotine in tobacco smoke and, in certain brain areas, may be involved in nicotine addiction and/or withdrawal. Menthol, a widely used additive in cigarettes, is a potential analgesic and/or counterirritant at sensory nerves and may also influence nicotine’s actions in the brain.

Menthol works on the nervous system reducing the irritating effects of nicotine and like nicotine, it also affects nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. I wonder what other synergistic effect it has on nicotine and what other receptors menthol can affect? Below are some more interesting facts from the NIH.

Menthol has been tested in humans mainly for its pharmaceutical properties, such as enhancement of lung and airway volume . . .

Aside from its cold-inducing sensation capabilities, menthol exhibits cytotoxic effects in cancer cells, induces reduction in malignant cell growth, and engages in synergistic excitation of GABA receptors and sodium ion channels resulting in analgesia.

It looks like the NIH knows all about the beneficial effects of nicotine and menthol when treating COVID. They know that nicotine can reduce a cytokine storm and menthol can open up the airways, reduce pain and is toxic to cancer cells. It seems that menthol cigarettes may be healthier than regular tobacco cigarettes and may have beneficial effects as a COVID treatment. I find it strange and suspicious how they don't talk about all this and want to ban menthol cigarettes.

Now for the conspiracy side of all this, let's have a look at these facts.

The majority of African Americans prefer menthol cigarettes.
The African American population has been hit hardest by COVID.
NIH studies have shown that nicotine and menthol have beneficial effects suitable for COVID treatments.
The NIH is the scientific authority on COVID and makes recommendations to the government on treatments.
The NIH states the need for more research on nicotine's beneficial effects on treating COVID but does none.
The government wants to ban menthol cigarettes because it disproportionately has negative affects on the health of African Americans.

What kind of conclusion can one come to when reviewing the facts from Faucci's NIH?


NIH Link 1
NIH Link 2
NIH Link 3

[Mystic Wanderer]

I was wondering what brought about the quick banning of menthol cigarettes. It just seemed odd. 

Now I know. They are still trying to kill the black population, while making them think they are trying to help them.

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

I was wondering what brought about the quick banning of menthol cigarettes. It just seemed odd. 

Now I know. They are still trying to kill the black population, while making them think they are trying to help them.

The dots started to connect with this push to ban menthol cigarettes obviously.

Remembering how early in the pandemic they had cases of heavy smokers in China that did amazingly well after catching COVID in spite of comorbidities like age, weight and other conditions, I decided to revisit those reports. The response to these positive reports back then were that smoking is bad and has no medical value. So that story quickly disappeared from view, but the NIH still did studies on nicotine because they were amazed that it was beneficial in these numerous cases.

Now this menthol cigarette ban also had me remember that early on there were reports of people in India and elsewhere that were breathing the vapors of mentholated OTC medications boiled with water. That idea was also claimed to be harmful and was in no way a suitable treatment.

I don't recommend anyone start smoking menthol cigarettes as a treatment, prophylactic or otherwise. But if you get the COVID, you could use the nicotine patch in combination with a menthol rub if you want to see if this helps to reduce symptoms or keep you out of the hospital.

[Ninurta]

I smoked menthol back when I smoked. I vape menthol now that I don't smoke. Plus, my vape juice is anywhere from 4 to 24 times the normal nicotine content of vape juice, because when you make it, you get to set the levels.

They've banned most flavors in vape juice already, and have been talking of banning menthol in  it... Then they banned delivery of vape juice in general to solve all their "problems" in one fell swoop... now they want to ban menthol smokes, too... 

It seems they are just trying their damndest to kill folks off.

And that isn't even counting the killing off of non-smokers when tensions rise in inner cities from nicotine withdrawals among the black population, especially in light of the already sharp rise in violent crime, even with the nicotine still available..

Luckily, I can synthesize all the menthol I can carry from wild peppermint plants here if push comes to shove, and grow my own tobacco to make nicotine in the same eventuality, so I'm good, but what about all those folks who can't?

I can feel an uprising in response to totalitarianism in US government creeping closer and closer. More and more people are waking up and saying "Dafuq? When did THIS switch happen?" it's coming if the Totalitarians don't back the hell off, and they are showing no signs of doing so.

ETA: I told Grace about this, and she says that a vape forum she belongs to, which has about a million members worldwide, has only had TWO cases of covid among their membership, and neither one of those got very severe. Food for thought. Furthermore, everything the Left has EVER done for black folks under the guise of "helping" them has made matters worse. That observation goes right along with my theory that the Left has deliberately kept Blacks sequestered in inner city "new plantations" just to harvest votes from them... but more and more Black folks are waking up, too, and running away from the Democrat Party on the American Left, Now the Left sees that, and in a panic decides to just kill them off rather than let them migrate to the opposition and gain their defacto freedom, finally...

.

[ABNARTY]

Seems odd this is happening now. Menthol cigarettes have been around since ~1930. All of a sudden 90 years later, panic mode to get rid of them. 

Why not get rid of tobacco and vaping too if you are concerned about health? None of it is particularly good for you long term. But the menthol part?

Not sure if I am on board with your theory just yet, although I do concede it is totally plausible as there is a track record.

DC is a commune of aggressive and domineering good-idea fairies who don't care about anything but their own fiefdom. Perhaps this is simply evidence of one of their spastic brain storming sessions?

[F2d5thCav]

All I can say is,

SMOKE 'EM IF YOU GOT 'EM!



Cheers

[Ninurta]

Seems odd this is happening now. Menthol cigarettes have been around since ~1930. All of a sudden 90 years later, panic mode to get rid of them. 

Why not get rid of tobacco and vaping too if you are concerned about health? None of it is particularly good for you long term. But the menthol part?

Not sure if I am on board with your theory just yet, although I do concede it is totally plausible as there is a track record.

DC is a commune of aggressive and domineering good-idea fairies who don't care about anything but their own fiefdom. Perhaps this is simply evidence of one of their spastic brain storming sessions?

They're already getting rid of vaping - don't give 'em any ideas about tobacco too!

When I was growing up, I was just south of mining country. A lot of the folks there worked in the mines, but they had to drive a bit every day to get to them. The country I was in was tobacco country instead. Acres and acres of tobacco fields everywhere, as far as the eye could see. Many families made almost all their yearly money in tobacco, and many more raised tobacco as an income supplement..

Now those tobacco fields are all gone. I've not seen a tobacco field since I was in North Carolina, and there were damned few there. None here now. When I was a teenager, I made fair money working in the various tobacco fields for the farmers there. Rough job. You either had to wear long sleeves in the hot sun all day, or wash your arms in gasoline at the end of the day to get all the tobacco gum off of them. Still. I know how to grow it, so maybe this would be a good time to get some seed, before no more can be got.

I believe their crackdown on nicotine and menthol has a dual purpose. One is to show folks just who is the boss, and the other is to get folks nerves all jangled up. That can lead to bad deeds, which is what they are after. A potential third reason is the covid thing - when they engineered their bioweapon, testing may have shown that nicotine and menthol ease the severity, and they can't have that, so get rid of the things that combat their bioweapon...

.

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

Seems odd this is happening now. Menthol cigarettes have been around since ~1930. All of a sudden 90 years later, panic mode to get rid of them. 

Why not get rid of tobacco and vaping too if you are concerned about health? None of it is particularly good for you long term. But the menthol part?

Not sure if I am on board with your theory just yet, although I do concede it is totally plausible as there is a track record.

DC is a commune of aggressive and domineering good-idea fairies who don't care about anything but their own fiefdom. Perhaps this is simply evidence of one of their spastic brain storming sessions?

They're already getting rid of vaping - don't give 'em any ideas about tobacco too!

When I was growing up, I was just south of mining country. A lot of the folks there worked in the mines, but they had to drive a bit every day to get to them. The country I was in was tobacco country instead. Acres and acres of tobacco fields everywhere, as far as the eye could see. Many families made almost all their yearly money in tobacco, and many more raised tobacco as an income supplement..

Now those tobacco fields are all gone. I've not seen a tobacco field since I was in North Carolina, and there were damned few there. None here now. When I was a teenager, I made fair money working in the various tobacco fields for the farmers there. Rough job. You either had to wear long sleeves in the hot sun all day, or wash your arms in gasoline at the end of the day to get all the tobacco gum off of them. Still. I know how to grow it, so maybe this would be a good time to get some seed, before no more can be got.

I believe their crackdown on nicotine and menthol has a dual purpose. One is to show folks just who is the boss, and the other is to get folks nerves all jangled up. That can lead to bad deeds, which is what they are after. A potential third reason is the covid thing - when they engineered their bioweapon, testing may have shown that nicotine and menthol ease the severity, and they can't have that, so get rid of the things that combat their bioweapon...

.

You can find seed online. Virginia tobacco grows well for me in Michigan. I have a pot full of 2" seedlings ready to plant right now. Burly tobacco isn't so great when germinating and growing. I usually get very few of those to grow and don't bother trying to separate the varieties that have likely cross bred somewhat.

I have to plant indoors early or bring them in before first frost and grow them inside to get seed. But if you get them to seed, you'll have tons of tobacco seed for next season.

The tobacco I grow is very mild in flavor but high in nicotine. The light flavor causes you to draw hard and man you can get buzzed from that nicotine, esp from a pipe rather than a home rolled cigarette.

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

I understand now why COVID therapeutics are ignored and rejected. It's because if there are any treatments or therapeutic medications available, the "vaccines" could not get Emergency Use Authorization. FDA rules that only when there are no alternative therapeutics can untested vaccines be cleared for Emergency Use Authorization.

Obviously they are more concerned about getting the entire world inoculated with a "medical device" in the form of a "synthetic, inorganic molecule", than they are about anyone's health and welfare.

Now the question remains is, "Why would governments around the world want to inject everyone with an experimental 'medical device' while parading it around as a vaccine?" Also, "Why would they do this using deception and coercion?"

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

Well, well, well. The NIH never ceases to amaze me in regards to this subject.

Nicotiana tabacum, AKA Virginia Tobacco plant, contains a "potent anti-HIV microbicide" called "griffithsin". It works well as an anti-viral against HIV, MERS, and SARS (as in corona virus).

Griffithsin: An Antiviral Lectin with Outstanding Therapeutic Potential

Abstract - Griffithsin (GRFT), an algae-derived lectin, is one of the most potent viral entry inhibitors discovered to date. It is currently being developed as a microbicide with broad-spectrum activity against several enveloped viruses. GRFT can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection at picomolar concentrations, surpassing the ability of most anti-HIV agents. The potential to inhibit other viruses as well as parasites has also been demonstrated.

High-level expression of the HIV entry inhibitor griffithsin from the plastid genome and retention of biological activity in dried tobacco leaves

Abstract - The potent anti-HIV microbicide griffithsin was expressed to high levels in tobacco chloroplasts, enabling efficient purification from both fresh and dried biomass, thus providing storable material for inexpensive production and scale-up on demand. The global HIV epidemic continues to grow, with 1.8 million new infections occurring per year. In the absence of a cure and an AIDS vaccine, there is a pressing need to prevent new infections in order to curb the disease. Topical microbicides that block viral entry into human cells can potentially prevent HIV infection. The antiviral lectin griffithsin has been identified as a highly potent inhibitor of HIV entry into human cells.

NIH Link 1
NIH Link 2

[guohua]

Well, well, well. The NIH never ceases to amaze me in regards to this subject.

Nicotiana tabacum, AKA Virginia Tobacco plant, contains a "potent anti-HIV microbicide" called "griffithsin". It works well as an anti-viral against HIV, MERS, and SARS (as in corona virus).

Griffithsin: An Antiviral Lectin with Outstanding Therapeutic Potential

Abstract - Griffithsin (GRFT), an algae-derived lectin, is one of the most potent viral entry inhibitors discovered to date. It is currently being developed as a microbicide with broad-spectrum activity against several enveloped viruses. GRFT can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection at picomolar concentrations, surpassing the ability of most anti-HIV agents. The potential to inhibit other viruses as well as parasites has also been demonstrated.

High-level expression of the HIV entry inhibitor griffithsin from the plastid genome and retention of biological activity in dried tobacco leaves

Abstract - The potent anti-HIV microbicide griffithsin was expressed to high levels in tobacco chloroplasts, enabling efficient purification from both fresh and dried biomass, thus providing storable material for inexpensive production and scale-up on demand. The global HIV epidemic continues to grow, with 1.8 million new infections occurring per year. In the absence of a cure and an AIDS vaccine, there is a pressing need to prevent new infections in order to curb the disease. Topical microbicides that block viral entry into human cells can potentially prevent HIV infection. The antiviral lectin griffithsin has been identified as a highly potent inhibitor of HIV entry into human cells.

NIH Link 1
NIH Link 2

That would be Awesome.
Now if they would only release they cure for Cancer they been hiding for years.

[Ninurta]

You can find seed online. Virginia tobacco grows well for me in Michigan. I have a pot full of 2" seedlings ready to plant right now. Burly tobacco isn't so great when germinating and growing. I usually get very few of those to grow and don't bother trying to separate the varieties that have likely cross bred somewhat.

I have to plant indoors early or bring them in before first frost and grow them inside to get seed. But if you get them to seed, you'll have tons of tobacco seed for next season.

The tobacco I grow is very mild in flavor but high in nicotine. The light flavor causes you to draw hard and man you can get buzzed from that nicotine, esp from a pipe rather than a home rolled cigarette.

Most of what I worked in when I was a teenager was Burley tobacco. Folks started it early in covered beds, and some said they had to "gas" it under those covers to get it to grow. In late April or early May, they would take the seedlings out of the beds and transplant them into the fields. Most of it had pretty pink trumpet shaped blooms, other had yellow trumpet shaped blooms. I'd imagine hummingbirds went wild over it, due to the shape pf the blooms.

I'm looking at getting some nicotiana rustica (native tobacco, sacred tobacco) seed. It's stout as hell, so you wouldn't want to smoke much of it, but it was never for everyday smoking anyhow. it should, however, be just the ticket to extract nicotine from for making vape juice. Gotta be careful with that, though, cause concentrated nicotine is a violent poison, and can be absorbed through the skin - that's how chewing tobacco and snuff work. I probably ought to get another variety as well, for everyday smoking. I don't smoke any more, but you just never know when those bastards are going to pounce too hard on your nerves... so it pays to keep a stash, especially with the war on nicotine they've been waging.

.

[Ninurta]

I was wondering what brought about the quick banning of menthol cigarettes. It just seemed odd. 

Now I know. They are still trying to kill the black population, while making them think they are trying to help them.

The dots started to connect with this push to ban menthol cigarettes obviously.

Remembering how early in the pandemic they had cases of heavy smokers in China that did amazingly well after catching COVID in spite of comorbidities like age, weight and other conditions, I decided to revisit those reports. The response to these positive reports back then were that smoking is bad and has no medical value. So that story quickly disappeared from view, but the NIH still did studies on nicotine because they were amazed that it was beneficial in these numerous cases.

Now this menthol cigarette ban also had me remember that early on there were reports of people in India and elsewhere that were breathing the vapors of mentholated OTC medications boiled with water. That idea was also claimed to be harmful and was in no way a suitable treatment.

I don't recommend anyone start smoking menthol cigarettes as a treatment, prophylactic or otherwise. But if you get the COVID, you could use the nicotine patch in combination with a menthol rub if you want to see if this helps to reduce symptoms or keep you out of the hospital.

Menthol is extracted from the peppermint plant, mentha piperita. It grows wild out where I grew up, right alongside spearmint. If push comes to shove, and they get menthol banned altogether, folks can still get the menthol from the plant. Make a strong tea, put a towel over your head with the tea under your nose, and huff up those fumes. It's also a topical anesthetic - that's why peppermint feels "cool", because it deadens all sensation other than the sensation of cold. That's also why menthol cigarettes are less harsh. Some stores sell it as a growing plant around here - you can find it in the herb section at Walmart.

I'm going to work up the bed for an herb garden this year, and start the garden itself next spring, to grow various medicinal herbs close to the house. I'll have to go back to the old homestead and get wild plants or seed for the garden here. I'm looking at peppermint, spearmint, catnip (good for bad nerves and some stomach troubles), wild lettuce - the white latex from it works like opium for pain, but it's not quite as strong, and it ain't illegal or addictive - and a few other things.

.

[Mystic Wanderer]

I bought some menthol vape juice by accident last time I stocked up. Thought I was buying something lemon flavored. Took a big drag and about turned white. Well, I'm already white, so I turned whiter.  

Maybe I need to up my nicotine ML back up to 18. I came from 18 down to 3 when I was trying to quit. I wanted to keep some nicotine because I read it's good for the brain. Lord knows I need all the help I can get up there.  

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

I was wondering what brought about the quick banning of menthol cigarettes. It just seemed odd. 

Now I know. They are still trying to kill the black population, while making them think they are trying to help them.

The dots started to connect with this push to ban menthol cigarettes obviously.

Remembering how early in the pandemic they had cases of heavy smokers in China that did amazingly well after catching COVID in spite of comorbidities like age, weight and other conditions, I decided to revisit those reports. The response to these positive reports back then were that smoking is bad and has no medical value. So that story quickly disappeared from view, but the NIH still did studies on nicotine because they were amazed that it was beneficial in these numerous cases.

Now this menthol cigarette ban also had me remember that early on there were reports of people in India and elsewhere that were breathing the vapors of mentholated OTC medications boiled with water. That idea was also claimed to be harmful and was in no way a suitable treatment.

I don't recommend anyone start smoking menthol cigarettes as a treatment, prophylactic or otherwise. But if you get the COVID, you could use the nicotine patch in combination with a menthol rub if you want to see if this helps to reduce symptoms or keep you out of the hospital.

Menthol is extracted from the peppermint plant, mentha piperita. It grows wild out where I grew up, right alongside spearmint. If push comes to shove, and they get menthol banned altogether, folks can still get the menthol from the plant. Make a strong tea, put a towel over your head with the tea under your nose, and huff up those fumes. It's also a topical anesthetic - that's why peppermint feels "cool", because it deadens all sensation other than the sensation of cold. That's also why menthol cigarettes are less harsh. Some stores sell it as a growing plant around here - you can find it in the herb section at Walmart.

I'm going to work up the bed for an herb garden this year, and start the garden itself next spring, to grow various medicinal herbs close to the house. I'll have to go back to the old homestead and get wild plants or seed for the garden here. I'm looking at peppermint, spearmint, catnip (good for bad nerves and some stomach troubles), wild lettuce - the white latex from it works like opium for pain, but it's not quite as strong, and it ain't illegal or addictive - and a few other things.

.

Found this growing wild in the low end of my garden, by the mulch piles.

Mentha arvensis, the corn mint, field mint, or wild mint

Uses
The leaves have been made into tea to treat colds or aid digestion.[12] They can also be eaten raw.[13]

Chemical substances that can be extracted from wild mint include menthol, menthone, isomenthone, neomenthol, limonene, methyl acetate, piperitone, beta-caryophyllene, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, tannins and flavonoids.[14][15] Mint extracts and menthol-related chemicals are used in food, drinks, cough medicines, creams and cigarettes.[15] Menthol is widely used in dental care, as a mouthwash potentially inhibiting streptococci and lactobacilli bacteria.

You can extract the essential oils with a still. I just bought a still last year, and it works pretty well (he he hee!).

Then we have this growing abundantly in the woods around here.

Gaultheria procumbens, also called the eastern teaberry, the checkerberry, the boxberry, or the American wintergreen, is a species of Gaultheria native to northeastern North America from Newfoundland west to southeastern Manitoba, and south to Alabama.[1] It is a member of the Ericaceae (heath family).

 An essential oil (known as "oil of wintergreen") obtained from the leaves contains methyl salicylate, which is closely related to aspirin and is an effective anti-inflammatory. This species was at one time a major source of methyl salicylate, though this is now mainly synthesized. The leaves, and the oil, are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, emmenagogue, stimulant and tonic. An infusion of the leaves is used to relieve flatulence and colic. The plant, especially in the form of the essential oil, is most useful when applied externally in the treatment of acute cases of rheumatism, sciatica, myalgia, sprains, neuralgia and catarrh. The oil is sometimes used in the treatment of cellulitis, a bacterial infection that causes the skin to become inflamed.

Both are good for tobacco processing, esp wintergreen for chew. Maple syrup, another of my hobbies, works well in my casing recipe when I process my home grown tobacco.

[PLOTUS]

Smear VICKS all over you...... might want to skip your Eyes and Privates and get some Nicotine patches from CVS ....... lol

[Michigan Swamp Buck]

Smear VICKS all over you...... might want to skip your Eyes and Privates and get some Nicotine patches from CVS ....... lol

Ouch! Yes avoid those sensitive areas. But if you want to seriously torture someone, Capsaicin from red peppers.

[Ninurta]

Smear VICKS all over you...... might want to skip your Eyes and Privates and get some Nicotine patches from CVS ....... lol

I dunno about all over you, but it has it's uses. We used to use it when we had to deal with dead bodies, for example. You dab a bit on your upper lip, right under your nose. A case or two was so bad we had to use gas masks, but a dab of Vicks on the filter works there, too. Now there is a combo you dare not puke into!



.

[Mystic Wanderer]

As a child, my mother would take VICKS when we got a cough or chest cold and rub it on our chest before bed. Then she would heat up a rag and place it over the VICKS. It really helped; we were better in just a day or two.