الفهرس 
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Abstract
Introduction: Nicotine is the main addictive component of tobacco that maintains the smoking habit. Moreover, tobacco consumption is one of the main public health problems worldwide. The aim of work: to study the effect of nicotine administration and the effect of its withdrawal on albino rat taste buds of circumvallate papilla. Research Plan: This work was carried out on fifty adult male albino rats. They were divided into 5 groups of ten rats each i.e. control group, nicotine treated group for 1 month (m1) , nicotine treated group for 1 month then withdrawal for 2weeks (w1), nicotine treated group for 2 months (m2) and nicotine treated group for 2 months then widrawal for 2 weeks (w2). The animals of all groups were sacrificed and the tongues were dissected rapidly and processed for light microscopic examination. Paraffin sections were prepared and stained with haematoxylin& eosin andpreparetion of coated slides for synaptophysin immunohistochemical stain. Results: Histopathological examination of the taste buds of nicotine treated rats showed distortion of some taste buds with less sensory cells and apparent increase of the supporting cells. Image analysis of taste buds height and diameter showed significant decrease of both. By immunohistochemical examination, there was significant decrease in synaptophysin-IR in the apical and basal parts of taste buds with normal distribution at the bottom of taste buds due to staining of nerve fibers. Conclusion: the smokers should stop smoking as early as possible to reduce toxic and degenerative effects of nicotine on taste buds structure and function.