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Cotinine

By Terry Martin, About.com

Updated March 05, 2009

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Definition: A substance that is created through the metabolism of nicotine. Measuring the amount of cotinine in a person's bloodstream, urine or saliva is generally accepted as a reliable way to assess recent tobacco use or secondhand smoke exposure.

When rearranged, the letters in the word "nicotine" form the word "cotinine," creating an anagram.

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