ACUTE EFFECT OF MAINSTREAM CIGARETTE SMOKE ON HEMODYNAMICS, SERUM NICOTINE, BODY WEIGHT AND ORGAN MASS IN ALBINO RATS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/Keywords:
Cigarette, Smoke, Exposure, Nicotine, Organs, Blood PressureAbstract
This two-week inhalation study investigated the acute physiological effects of mainstream cigarette smoke (MSCS) on blood pressure, heart rate, body weight and internal organ mass in albino rats. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats (150–200 g; equal sexes) were divided into Control (n = 16) and Smoke-exposed (n = 16) groups. The exposed rats inhaled smoke generated from one standard cigarette per day for 14 consecutive days in a nose–mouth exposure chamber under calibrated suction, while controls received filtered air. Serum nicotine levels were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Blood pressure was measured invasively via carotid cannulation on Days 7 and 14, and internal organs (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys) were weighed post-sacrifice. Data were analysed using Student’s and paired t-tests with significance set at p < 0.05. Results showed that serum nicotine increased in smoke-exposed rats (~9 ± 1 ng/mL on Day 7) but declined by Day 14 (~5 ± 0.3 ng/mL), suggesting a likely enhancement of metabolic clearance or physiological adaptation. Systolic and mean arterial pressures rose significantly (~15% by Day 14) without a corresponding rise in heart rate. Kidney and lung weights were reduced by about 10% compared with controls, while heart and liver masses remained unchanged. These findings indicate that short-term MSCS exposure elevates arterial pressure and induces organ-specific alterations, particularly in the kidneys and lungs. The decline in serum nicotine likely reflects enhanced hepatic CYP450-mediated metabolism. Therefore, stricter regulation of tobacco smoke constituents and sustained public enlightenment are strongly recommended to mitigate early cardiovascular and organ-level damage.
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