Abstract: The studies on degradation of nicotine by microbes were reviewed and the degradation products by different microbes were compared. The three major degradation pathways of nicotine, including pyrrolidine pathway, pyridine pathway and Me pathway, were introduced, the degradation pathways of Arthrobacter nicotinovorans and Arthrobacter globiformils were emphatically analysed. It was suggested that the usability of some Chinese tobacco leaves with high nicotine content, especially the upper leaves, would probably be improved by adequately treated with these microbes.