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Tag: bacteria

  • Effected Oral Bacteria Could be Harnessed for Cessation: Study

    Effected Oral Bacteria Could be Harnessed for Cessation: Study

    A study by Dr. Nishant Mehta, associate professor at PGIMER (Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research), Chandigarh, India, found that prolonged use of smokeless tobacco alters the oral microbiome, promoting the growth of bacteria capable of breaking down nicotine. The research suggests these “nicotinophilic” microbes adapt to repeated nicotine exposure by using it as an energy source. The findings indicate that these microbial changes could potentially be harnessed to support future tobacco cessation strategies.

    Presented at the 29th IAPHD National Conference (NATCON 2025) in Mangaluru, the study earned the Best Paper Award. Researchers analyzed saliva samples from smokeless tobacco users using advanced molecular techniques and confirmed that certain oral bacteria can actively metabolize nicotine. While further research is needed, experts say the study offers a new biological perspective on nicotine dependence and oral health.

  • Japanese Scientists Find Why Smoking Protects Against Ulcerative Colitis

    Japanese Scientists Find Why Smoking Protects Against Ulcerative Colitis

    A team from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Japan’s largest comprehensive research institution, uncovered why smoking appears to protect people with ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic bowel disease. The study, published today (August 25) in Gut, found that smoking produces metabolites such as hydroquinone, which allow oral bacteria like Streptococcus mitis to colonize the gut. In UC patients, these bacteria trigger an immune response that reduces inflammation.

    The effect does not extend to Crohn’s disease, where the same immune reaction makes symptoms worse.

    Lead researcher Hiroshi Ohno said the discovery could pave the way for new probiotic or prebiotic therapies that replicate smoking’s benefits without its health risks.