Tobacco and the Origins and Domestication of Nicotiana

Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica and N. tabacum) is a plant that was and is used as a psychoactive substance, a narcotic, a painkiller, and a pesticide and, as a result, it is and was used in the ancient past in a wide variety of rituals and ceremonies. Four species were recognized by Linnaeus in 1753, all originating from the Americas, and all from the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Today, scholars recognize over 70 different species, with N. tabacum the most economically important; almost all of them originated in South America, with one endemic to Australia and another to Africa. Domestication History A group of recent biogeographical studies reports that modern tobacco ( N. tabacum) originated in the highland Andes, probably Bolivia or northern Argentina, and was likely a result of the hybridization of two older species, N. sylvestris and a member of the section Tomentosae, perhaps N. tomentosiformis Goodspeed. Long before the Spanish colonization, tobacco had been distributed well outside its origins, throughout South America, into Mesoamerica and reaching the Eastern Woodlands of North America no later than ~300 BC. Although some debate within the scholarly community exists suggesting that some varieties may have originated in Central America or Southern Mexico, the most widely accepted theory is that N. tabacum originated where the historical ranges of its two progenitor species intersected. The earliest dated tobacco seeds found to date are from early Formative levels at Chiripa in the Lake Titicaca region of Bolivia. Tobacco seeds were recovered from Early Chiripa contexts (1500-1000 BC), although not in sufficient quantities or contexts to prove tobacco  use with shamanistic practices. Tushingham and colleagues have traced a continuous record of smoking tobacco in pipes in western North America from at least 860 AD, and at the time of European colonial contact, tobacco was the most widely exploited intoxicant in the Americas. Curanderos and Tobacco Tobacco is believed to be one of the first plants used in the New World to initiate ecstasy trances. Taken in large amounts, tobacco induces hallucinations, and, perhaps not surprisingly, tobacco use is associated with pipe ceremonialism and bird imagery throughout the Americas. Physical changes associated with extreme doses of tobacco use include a lowered heart rate, which in some cases has been known to render the user into a catatonic state. Tobacco is consumed in a number of ways, including chewing, licking, eating, sniffing, and enemas, although smoking is the most effective and common form of consumption. Among the ancient Maya and extending down to today, tobacco was a sacred, supernaturally powerful plant, considered a primordial medicine or botanical helper and associated with Maya deities of the earth and sky. A classic 17 year-long study by ethnoarchaeologist Kevin Goark (2010) looked at the use of the plant among the Tzeltal-Tzotzil Maya communities in highland Chiapas, recording processing methods, physiological effects, and magico-protective uses. Ethnographic Studies A series of ethnographic interviews (Jauregui et al 2011) was conducted between 2003-2008 with curanderos (healers) in east central Peru, who reported using tobacco in various ways. Tobacco is one of over fifty plants with psychotropic effects used in the region that are considered plants that teach, including coca, datura, and ayahuasca. Plants that teach are also sometimes referred to as plants with a mother, because they are believed to have an associated guiding spirit or mother who teaches the secrets of traditional medicine. Like the other plants that teach, tobacco is one of the cornerstones of learning and practicing the art of the shaman, and according to the curanderos consulted by Jauregui et al. it is considered one of the most powerful and oldest of plants. Shamanistic training in Peru involves a period of fasting, isolation, and celibacy, during which period one ingests one or more of the teaching plants on a daily basis. Tobacco in the form of a potent type of Nicotiana rustica is always present in their traditional medical practices, and it is used for purification, to cleanse the body of negative energies. Sources Groark KP. 2010. The Angel in the Gourd: Ritual, Therapeutic, and Protective Uses of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Among the Tzeltal and Tzotzil Maya of Chiapas, Mexico. Journal of Ethnobiology 30(1):5-30.Jauregui X, Clavo ZM, Jovel EM, and Pardo-de-Santayana M. 2011. â€Å"Plantas con madre†: Plants that teach and guide in the shamanic initiation process in the East-Central Peruvian Amazon. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 134(3):739-752.Khan MQ, and Narayan RKJ. 2007. Phylogenetic diversity and relationships among species of genus Nicotiana using RAPDs analysis. African Journal of Biotechnology 6(2):148-162.Leng X, Xiao B, Wang S, Gui Y, Wang Y, Lu X, Xie J, Li Y, and Fan L. 2010. Identification of NBS-Type Resistance Gene Homologs in Tobacco Genome. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 28(1):152-161.Lewis R, and Nicholson J. 2007. Aspects of the evolution of Nicotiana tabacum L. and the status of the United States Nicotiana Germplasm Collection. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution  54(4):727-740.Mandondo A, German L, Utila H, and Nthenda UM. 2014. Assessing Societal Benefits and Trade-Offs of Tobacco in the Miombo Woodlands of Malawi. Human Ecology 42(1):1-19.Moon HS, Nifong JM, Nicholson JS, Heineman A, Lion K, Hoeven Rvd, Hayes AJ, Lewis RS, and USDA A. 2009. Microsatellite-based Analysis of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Genetic Resources. Crop Science 49(6):2149-2159.Roulette CJ, Hagen E, and Hewlett BS. 2016. A biocultural investigation of gender differences in tobacco use in an egalitarian hunter-gatherer population. Human Nature 27(2):105-129.Tushingham S, Ardura D, Eerkens JW, Palazoglu M, Shahbaz S, and Fiehn O. 2013. Hunter-gatherer tobacco smoking: earliest evidence from the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(2):1397-1407.Tushingham S, and Eerkens JW. 2016. Hunter-Gatherer Tobacco Smoking in Ancient North America: Current Chemical Evidence and a Framework for Future Studies. In: Anne Bollwerk E, and Tush ingham S, editors. Perspectives on the Archaeology of Pipes, Tobacco and other Smoke Plants in the Ancient Americas. Cham: Springer International Publishing. p 211-230.Zagorevski DV, and Loughmiller-Newman JA. 2012. The detection of nicotine in a Late Mayan period flask by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 26(4):403-411.

Alcohol And The Central Nervous System - 1252 Words

Alcohol, like many other drugs, is dose dependent, readily absorbed, and widely distributed. As a result, alcohol affects many organ systems of the body, including the central nervous system (CNS). Alcohol is easily absorbed, is soluble across all biological membranes, and does not bind to any plasma proteins. There is no place in our bodies where alcohol cannot reach. Alcohol absorption occurs between 80-90 minutes, and is affected by whether or not someone has eaten, as this will affect the speed at which the alcohol enters the blood stream. Alcohol is metabolized similarly to food. Approximately 85% of ingested alcohol is metabolized by the liver, 5-10% is metabolized in the stomach, and approximately 5% is excreted, unchanged, through sweat and the lungs. Men metabolize alcohol faster than women. This is due to the fact that women have 50% less enzymes in the stomach that metabolize alcohol than men, and the fact that women have more body fat than men. The blood supply t o fat is much less than that found in muscles. Therefore, alcohol does not get metabolized as quickly in individuals with a higher fat content. When alcohol is metabolized, acetaldehyde, a poisonous byproduct, is formed. Alcohol dehydrogenase breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase further breaks down the poisonous acetaldehyde into acetic acid. Some ethnicities, such as some Asian groups, have less active acetaldehyde dehydrogenase leading to a buildup ofShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Alcohol On The Body s Central Nervous System2023 Words   |  9 PagesAlcohol is a liquid substance which people drink to have a good time and loosen up. It is a sedative-hypnotic drug that slows down the workings of the body’s central nervous system. Most alcohol is poisonous, however the body can tolerate ethyl alcohol, which is the same stuff that goes in hand sanitizer. Ethyl alcohol on it’s own isn’t much of a drink, that is why it’s mix ed with other things to make it into beer, wine or spirits. To make these drinks the main ingredients are mixed with water, airRead MoreA Short Note On Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, And Opioids1175 Words   |  5 Pagescommonly used substances as described from the course textbook are alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and opioids. Alcohol is a translucent liquid in appearance and has a bitter acquired taste which suppresses brain activity. The intake of alcohol effects the cerebral cortex by ceasing the inhibition of user and develops a relaxed and more social characteristic in the way the user interacts with others. As a depressant, the use of alcohol with its relaxing effect causes impairment in cognition and abilityRead MoreEffects Of Alcohol On The Nervous System1280 Words   |  6 Pagescommonly called alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol is the principal type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts. It’s focus on the effect of taking alcohol, especially on teenagers. When teenagers meeting with their friends or having party, maybe because of other people, maybe because of Instant Gratification or because of Misinformation, they may have some alcohol without adults in order to be more excited or ‘cool’. Having alcohol has negativeRead MoreThe Effects of Alcohol on Pilots During Flight Essay1148 Words   |  5 PagesAlcohol is something that has been part of human nature for thousands of years. It has been used by means of medical, social, religious, and cultural settings (Information about Alcohol, n.d.). Alcohol is going to be a product that will be a part of our lives for many years to come, definitely past our lifetime. A problem that we see today is the use of drinking and driving. This is one of life’s more dangerous and stupid activities, but people still decide to do it. People like to push theirRead MoreAlcohol And The Impact On Menta L Health961 Words   |  4 PagesALCOHOL AND THE IMPACT ON MENTA l HEALTH. Alcohol is a legal depressant drug that reduces the function or activity of specific part of the body or brain (www.aquarius.org.uk/alcohol). By having an effects on the central nervous system whereby behavioural control centres decreased inhibitions. Also memory loss and later depression of the nervous system, like tranquilisers. Alcohol absorption and it effect to the liver is metabolised every hour of feeling intoxication reduces the function or activityRead MoreEssay about Narcotics549 Words   |  3 Pages Narcotics: Narcotics decrease the sensitivity to the sensory stimuli because it has a depressant effect on the central nervous system. Opium, morphine, codeine, heroin, meperidine, and methadone are types of narcotics. Natural and synthetic opiates are considered medically valuable because they are effective pain relievers. A reduction of physical activity and drowsiness are the effects of opiates. Once consuming opiate you might feel such uncomfortable feelings as nausea, vomiting and itching.Read MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome ( Fas )1404 Words   |  6 Pagesdisorders is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). According to Feldman (2009), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a disorder that is induced by pregnant women who have consumed alcohol during the duration of their pregnancy, possibly resulting in mental deformity and delayed the growth of the child. Some characteristics of FAS include growth deficiency and central nervous system dysfunction (Mattson, 2006). Although the child may not be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, if the child was exposed to alcohol during pregnancyRead MoreEssay on The Dangerous Effects of Alcohol1597 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol is a very serious and dangerous drug, although it is not treated this way anymore. College students have taken drinking to a new level in which, for many, is very scary. Alcohol is much more dangerous than many would think. Kids see a night of drinking as a great way to have fun and party but do no t see the consequences. Getting drunk and even blacking out can lead to many problems. When alcohol is consumed in unhealthy amounts, it can lead to not only short-term effects, but long-termRead MoreEssay about Psychoactive Drugs and Their Effect on Consciousness989 Words   |  4 Pagesdopamine system useless. This will give the user little to no pleasure, which is often followed by an increased amount used in order to chase that high (NIDA). Another common form of psychoactive drugs is depressants, in which many people also have participated in using, particularly in college. The most known of the depressants is alcohol, and many people in college chose to experiment with it. Depressants are substances which slow down the normal function of the central nervous system. Some ofRead MoreMaturational Perspective of Motor Development1162 Words   |  5 Pagescharacteristics and tendencies that influence development. The maturational perspective of motor development focuses on nature influences. The maturational perspective explains functions of maturational processes, particularly through the central nervous system, which control or dictate motor development (Payne Isaacs, 2012). Motor development is an internal process driven by a biological or genetic time clock that can be affected by the environment but does not determine one’s biologically determined

St. Augustine s Life - 1060 Words

Augustine was potentially a grand source of advice and philosophy for the time of this literature’s release. However, the philosophies are now outdated. In, Confessions of St. Augustine, women are advised to subjugate themselves, knowingly to their husbands. Men are masters, women are servants, and if a man’s anger becomes so overwhelming he becomes physically expressive, the woman has done something wrong and should feel ashamed. There are, of course, numerous things wring with these positions. In modern times, the philosophies need an equality adjustment that allows for men and women to take responsibility for their actions, and be servant to nobody. Essentially, Augustine takes a stance wherein women knowingly enter into a bonded servitude with a male, understanding once they hear their marriage vows, they are to pledge devoted honor and respect to this person, no matter what. They are a wife, but also a servant. Augustine becomes quite severe with the stance, statin g, For all intended purposes, the instructions here encourage women not to resist a violent husband, and even to expect one as a part of her duties as a wife. An angry husband is simply another part of a woman’s work. Augustine further advises wives to be mindful of anger, and to cater to it, shaming wives who bear the marks of their husbands’ violence. These marks, according to Augustine, mean they did not take the marital vows, or their bonded servitude seriously and the woman is failing as wife, as wellShow MoreRelatedSt. Augustine s Life1594 Words   |  7 PagesSt. Augustine was born in Taagaste, Roman North Africa on November 13, 354 AD and was given the name Aurelius by his parents Patricius and Monica Augustine. At the time of his birth, his father was still a pagan, but his mother eventually converted him to Christianity (Chadwick 6). Aurelius was raised receiving a Christian education and from a very young age, he had a great respect for the religion. He le arned to make the Sign of the Cross and certain ideas about the faith he kept very dear to hisRead MoreSt. Augustine s Life1283 Words   |  6 Pagesrenowned stories of conversion is the one of Saint Augustine. Saint Augustine of Hippo by his own omission started his life in a circle of lust, pride, and vanity. He says in his book Confessions, â€Å"here proud, there superstitious, everywhere vain.† Saint Augustine’s life is a story of a man born on religion, drawn towards sin, and reclaimed by the light in time to become one of the most influential men of Western Christianity. Saint Augustine was born forty-five miles south of the MediterraneanRead MoreSt. Augustine s Life And Life734 Words   |  3 PagesAugustine was born November 13, A.D. 354, in Tagaste; and died seventy-six years later in Hippo Regius. Augustine was raise up in a family with both parents his father (Patricius) who was a nonbeliever until later in life and Augustine mother (Monica) a child of God. His mother taught Augustine at a young age about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Augustine like any other young teenager did not like school but at the same time had a desire to be liked by his teacher’s, but had some bad behavioralRead MoreMajor Risk Factors For Many Residents Living At St. Augustine1337 Words   |  6 Pagesa major risk factor to many residents living in St. Augustine. In their undeveloped state, floodplains play an important role in flooding. Natural floodplains reduce wind and wave impacts and their vegetation stabilizes soils (â€Å"Flood hazard†, n.d.) . Floodplains can be recharged in areas of groundwater and reduce the frequency and duration of low flows of surface water (â€Å"Flood hazard†, n.d.). Some local natural floodplains in St. Augustine and St. Johns County are the Guana River State Park andRead MoreSt Augustine Confessions Analysis1516 Words   |  7 PagesIn St. Augustine’s Confessions, the tension between knowledge of God and the habitual life, and by extension the struggle between continence and incontinence, are central to St. Augustine’s evolution as a faithful servant of God. These tensions are evident in several episodes of weeping throughout the text, as the true reason for his weeping stems from a disruption in the habitual life or from his inability to change his habits. St. Augustine’s weeping as a youth over the death of Dido, his weepingRead MoreComparing St. Augustines Confessions And Confucius1065 Words   |  5 Pagesand Wednesday 7-8:15am 8 November 2017 History Term Paper Both St. Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects are influential teachings that have a vast influence on people around the world in the ancient time and currently. Both doctrines discuss ethical values of society back during the time they were written and leads us to find some similarities between the two. There are substantial distinctions between Confucius and St. Augustine’s experiences and beliefs since they are living in differentRead MoreElizabeth City State University And Saint Augustine s University1047 Words   |  5 PagesState University. Saint Augustine’s University was founded in 1867 and is a private university. Saint Augustine’s University it is a church affiliated historically black college. Saint Augustine’s Campus is 110 acres and is located in Raleigh. Saint Augustine has a college chapel that is a county historic site. Both schools offer a variety of programs. Elizabeth City State University and Saint Augustine’s are both accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)Read MoreProposed Seven Philosophers On The Existence Of God And Their Development Of These Ideas1413 Words   |  6 Pageschoice topic. The seven philosophers are as follows: (1) Socrates, (2) Plato, (3) Aristotle, (4) Francis Bacon, (5) St. Augustine, (6) Thomas Aquinas, and (7) Rene DesCartes. The specific three I want to focus on being; St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Rene Descartes. Lastly, I will proceed to relate their ideas on the existence of God and their development of these ideas. St. Augustine s epistemology is rationalization. In his argument for the existence of God, he is referring to varying degrees ofRead MoreSaint Augustine Essays719 Words   |  3 PagesSaint Augustine Saint Augustine, b. Nov. 13, 354, d. Aug. 28, 430, was one of the foremost philosopher-theologians of early Christianity and, while serving (396-430) as bishop of Hippo Regius, the leading figure in the church of North Africa. He had a profound influence on the subsequent development of Western thought and culture and, more than any other person, shaped the themes and defined the problems that have characterized the Western tradition of Christian Theology. Among his many writingsRead MoreA Critical Engagement Essay : Good Kid M.a.a.d City1075 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Engagement Essay #2: good kid m.A.A.d city, Confessions When asked to find something that relates to St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, people may think of his mother, Saint Monica. Maybe people look back on the book and they think of his sex addiction or perhaps his friend’s addiction to the gladiatorial games. The last thing people think when asked to find something that relates to St. Augustine’s book, Confessions is Kendrick Lamar. Comparing Kendrick Lamar’s album, good kid m.A.A.d city

Tourette Syndrome Symptoms, Causes, and Genetics Essay Example For Students

Tourette Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Genetics Essay Usually, the first symptoms of Tourette Syndrome are facial tics, commonly eye blinking. Other facial tics include nose twitching and grimaces. The next tic to appear will usually be some other minor motor tic such as foot stomping, head jerking, neck stretching, or body twisting and bending. Affected individuals may also have a vocal tic such as clearing their throat, coughing, grunting, sniffing, yelping, barking, or shouting. Few Tourette Syndrome patients also experience coperlalia-the uttering of inappropriate or obscene words or phrases. They also may repeat words they hear others saying (echolalia). Some individuals touch people or repeat actions in an obsessive manner. Very rarely, patients demonstrate self-harming behavior such as head banging, and lip or cheek biting; only patients with severe TS exhibit such behaviors. Tics are random, changing in severity, number, frequency, type, and location. Oftentimes, symptoms will subside for weeks or even months at a time and later reappear. Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder in which too much or too little dopamine is produced in the brain. Too much dopamine causes hyperactivity. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter used in the substantia nigra and striatum which are important for movement. Other systems which can be effected by dopamine send axons from the midbrain to the forebrain, including the cerebral cortex. Recent research has shown that TS may also be an abnormality in the genes affecting the brains metabolism of neurotransmitters in general. Tourette Syndrome is a highly penetrant, sex influenced autosomal dominant trait that can cause different symptoms in different family members. If the offspring that carries the TS gene is male, his risk of developing symptoms is three to four times higher. In few cases, TS is sporadic and the cause is unknown. The exact chromosome or gene that causes TS is unknown, but we know it follows Mendelian inheritance and ratios. Through segregation analysis it has been found that TS was a intermediate mode of inheritance; meaning that the heterozygotes penetrance were not as severe as TS homozygotes. Finding the protein that causes TS may be one of the key ways in identifying the genome that codes for the enzyme causing TS. Bibliography 1.http://content. nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/315/16/993 2.http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/tourette_syndrome. htm#symptoms 3.http://www.alumni.ca/laued3e/inheritance.html .