Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
Español
Government Funding Lapse
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.

cotinine

(KOH-tuh-neen)
A chemical substance formed by the breakdown of nicotine in the body. Nicotine is an addictive, harmful chemical found in tobacco and tobacco products, including cigarettes and chewing tobacco. Exposure to nicotine can be measured by checking the amount of cotinine in the blood, urine, or saliva in smokers and in nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke. Cotinine stays in the body longer than nicotine and is used to help monitor tobacco use and the use of nicotine replacement therapy in people trying to stop smoking.
Search NCI's Dictionary of Cancer Terms