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Ascorbic Acid and Beta-Carotene Alleviate Oxidative Effect of London King Size® Cigarette Smoke on Tissue Lipids
Abstract
Cigarette smokers inhale many free radicals during smoking: For example, in a puff of cigarette smoke that he takes, the gas phase contains more than 1014 radicals.
Free radicals initiate many oxidative reactions that damage tissues and cause diseases such as the lung cancer. Non-smokers who stay around smokers when he is smoking are also exposed to the free radicals. However, the quantum of free radicals that he inhales is much less than that of smokers. Therefore, he may not be at the same risk as smokers. The present study was to ascertain the effect of exposing male Sprague-Dawley albino rats, non-smokers to one London King Size cigarette stick smoke for 30 minutes daily for two weeks on the tissue lipids and if 50mg ascorbic acid and or 0.6mg beta-carotene given orally per 100g body weight daily would alleviate any tissue damage caused by the smoke. The result showed that cigarette smoke accentuated the formation of malondialdehyde one of the degradation products of lipid hydroperoxide in the liver, lungs and plasma. Malondialdehyde production in the tissues was reduced by ascorbic acid and or beta-carotene given daily to the rats. It is implied that ascorbic acid or beta-carotene at the dose given overcomes the oxidative effect of London King Size ® cigarette smoke on tissue lipids.
Key WordS:Cigarette smoke, malondialdehyde, Vitamin C, beta-carotene.
[Nig. Jnl Health & Biomedical Sciences Vol.2(1) 2003: 12-15]
Free radicals initiate many oxidative reactions that damage tissues and cause diseases such as the lung cancer. Non-smokers who stay around smokers when he is smoking are also exposed to the free radicals. However, the quantum of free radicals that he inhales is much less than that of smokers. Therefore, he may not be at the same risk as smokers. The present study was to ascertain the effect of exposing male Sprague-Dawley albino rats, non-smokers to one London King Size cigarette stick smoke for 30 minutes daily for two weeks on the tissue lipids and if 50mg ascorbic acid and or 0.6mg beta-carotene given orally per 100g body weight daily would alleviate any tissue damage caused by the smoke. The result showed that cigarette smoke accentuated the formation of malondialdehyde one of the degradation products of lipid hydroperoxide in the liver, lungs and plasma. Malondialdehyde production in the tissues was reduced by ascorbic acid and or beta-carotene given daily to the rats. It is implied that ascorbic acid or beta-carotene at the dose given overcomes the oxidative effect of London King Size ® cigarette smoke on tissue lipids.
Key WordS:Cigarette smoke, malondialdehyde, Vitamin C, beta-carotene.
[Nig. Jnl Health & Biomedical Sciences Vol.2(1) 2003: 12-15]
