This invention protects the use of nicotine, analogues,precursors and derivatives thereof for treatment ofinflammatory, infectious, candidal or degenerative diseases,depression, obesity, bone disease and the like. Thisapplication provides the use of nicotine, analogues thereof,precursors thereof or its derivatives for the purpose ofincreasing and/or reducing the bioavailability of .alpha.-MSH inblood and/or central or peripheral tissues to accentuate ordiminish the effect of the .alpha.-MSH by means of changes in itsconcentration or its effect on the corresponding receptorsof any cell, tissue or organ in the body, administered fortherapeutic and/or prophylactic purposes in the short,medium and/or long term.
