The practice is rooted in basic nicotine toxicokinetics.
Nicotine is a weak base (pKa ≈ 8.0) that exists in equilibrium between ionized and unionized forms. Manipulation of the pH will therefore alter the fraction of the ionised form. Absorption across biological membranes is primarily determined by lipid solubility; therefore, the unionized fraction crosses the oral and nasal mucosa far more readily than the ionized fraction.
At the physiological pH of the buccal and nasal cavities, a substantial proportion of nicotine is ionized. Addition of Magadi soda (a naturally occurring sodium carbonate-rich alkaline mineral) increases the pH of the tobacco . . .
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