An analysis of twenty-four brands of toothpaste in 2011 by the Delhi Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research (DIPSAR) found nicotine content in the case of seven brands, namely, Colgate Herbal, Himalaya, Neem Paste, Neem Tulsi, RA Theromseal, Sensoform and Stoline. The presence of nicotine in these products is in violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003, which stipulates that tobacco cannot be added to non-tobacco products like toothpastes and toothpowders.

Nicotine in toothpastes can have the same damaging effects as cigarette smoking and tobacco chewing. Rakesh Malhotra, senior dental surgeon, Centre for Advanced Dentistry, said that nicotine gets to be absorbed by the tongue, lips, floor and roof of the mouth, cheeks and gums. Not only can this led to oral cancer, carcogenic agents absorbed in the mouth can be transferred into the lining of the stomach, the esophaghus and the bladder..

Professor S. S. Agarwal of DIPSAR, who reported on the analysis of toothpastes by his institute, said has brought the matter to the attention of the Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare, the Drug Controller-General of India and Delhi Drug Controller. Some of the companies named by Prof. Agarwal have denied adding nicotine to their products. Vicco Laboratories and Himalaya Drug Company indicated that their products were found to be nicotine free in independent analyses. As in the case of Vicco Laboratories, Dabur wanted DISPAR to reveal its methodology and sampling.

Some of the companies named by Prof. Agarwal have denied adding nicotine to their products. Sanjeev Pendharkar, Director, Vicco Laboratories, said following the DISPAR report, officers of the Drugs Control Administration, Goa, found no trace of nicotine in the samples they took of his company’s products. He protested also that the DISPAR study has not revealed their source of sampling.

In another case, an official of Himalaya Drug Company said that the highly sensitive Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) technique showed that his company’s products were nicotine free. The spokesman of yet another company, Dabur India, said that he was unable to comment without taking a look at the study and its methodology.

Source: India Today