Tobacco smoke/effects

Kensler, C.J. The pharmacology of tobacco smoke Effects of chronic exposure in Tobacco and health, edited by G. James and T. Rosenthal, C. C. Thomas, Springfield, MA (1962) pp. 5-20. 

National Research Council. (1986b). "Environmental Tobacco Smoke Measuring Exposures and Assessing Health Effects." National Academy Press, Washington, DC. 

Effects of indoor air pollutants on humans are essentially the same as those described in Chapter 7. However, there can be some additional pollutant exposures in the indoor environment that are not common in the ambient setting. From the listing in Table 23-1, radon exposures indoors present a radiation hazard for the development of lung cancer. Environmental tobacco smoke has been found to cause lung cancer and other respiratory diseases. Biological agents such as molds and other toxins may be a more likely exposure hazard indoors than outside. 

Compounds Affecting Rq>roduction Compounds that can affect reproductive function include several drugs and occupationally important chemicals such as solvents and pesticides as well as a number of environmentally relevant com-fxrunds. A group of chemical compounds that has received much attention recently is endocrine disrupters, many of which are halogenated hydrocarbons, e.g., PCBs. These are known to induce feminization in fish and other animal species.1.5/ There is intense debate about the significance of these compounds to human health. Tobacco smoke and ethyl alcohol also have major effects on human reproduction, the effects of alcohol being especially important. Table 5.17 lists compounds that may disturb the functions of female and male reproductive functions. 

Table 5.1. Adverse medical effects of tobacco smoking, and health benefits of smoking cessation.

One of numerous examples of LOX-catalyzed cooxidation reactions is the oxidation and demethylation of amino derivatives of aromatic compounds. Oxidation of such compounds as 4-aminobiphenyl, a component of tobacco smoke, phenothiazine tranquillizers, and others is supposed to be the origin of their damaging effects including reproductive toxicity. Thus, LOX-catalyzed cooxidation of phenothiazine derivatives with hydrogen peroxide resulted in the formation of cation radicals [40]. Soybean LOX and human term placenta LOX catalyzed the free radical-mediated cooxidation of 4-aminobiphenyl to toxic intermediates [41]. It has been suggested that demethylation of aminopyrine by soybean LOX is mediated by the cation radicals and neutral radicals [42]. Similarly, soybean and human term placenta LOXs catalyzed N-demethylation of phenothiazines [43] and derivatives of A,A-dimethylaniline [44] and the formation of glutathione conjugate from ethacrynic acid and p-aminophenol [45,46],... 

Shima, M. and Adachi, M., Effects of environmental tobacco smoke on serum levels of acute phase proteins in schoolchildren, Prev. Med. 25, 5, 617, 1996. 

It is widely accepted that cigarette smoking is linked to community acquired pneumonia and is one of the major risk factors for respiratory infections.39,40 Cigarette smoke is composed of two components, the vapor and particulate phase. The immunosuppressive effect of tobacco smoke is partly due to nicotine, which occurs in the particulate portion. Nicotine, as well as other immunotoxins in tobacco smoke, are thought to be respon-... 

The nervous system is the most sensitive target for cyanide toxicity, partly because of its high metabolic demands. High doses of cyanide can result in death via central nervous system effects, which can cause respiratory arrest. In humans, chronic low-level cyanide exposure through cassava consumption (and possibly through tobacco smoke inhalation) has been associated with tropical neuropathy, tobacco amblyopia, and Leber s hereditary optic atrophy. It has been suggested that defects in the metabolic conversion of cyanide to thiocyanate, as well as nutritional deficiencies of protein and vitamin B12 and other vitamins and minerals may play a role in the development of these disorders (Wilson 1965). 

Environmental tobacco smokes (ETS) tobacco smoke irritation to mucous membranes chronic and acutes pulmonary effects, cardiovascular effects carcinogenic. 

Sun W, Wu R, Last JA (1995) Effects of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke on a human tracheobronchial epithelial cell line. Toxicology 100( 1-3) 163-174. 

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