Cigarette smoke damages body in minutes after inhaling
January 16th, 2011 - 11:52 am ICT by ANIWashington, Jan 16 (ANI): Scientists have warned that smoking begins to cause genetic damage within minutes-not years-after inhalation into the lungs.
It is the first human study to detail the way certain substances in tobacco cause DNA damage linked to cancer.
Stephen S. Hecht and colleagues have pointed out that evidence indicates harmful substances in tobacco smoke termed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are one of the culprits in causing lung cancer.
Until now, however, scientists had not detailed the specific way in which the PAHs in cigarette smoke cause DNA damage in humans.
The scientists added a labeled PAH, phenanthrene, to cigarettes and tracked its fate in 12 volunteers who smoked the cigarettes. They found that phenanthrene quickly forms a toxic substance in the blood known to trash DNA, causing mutations that can cause cancer.
The smokers developed maximum levels of the substance in a time frame that surprised even the researchers: Just 15-30 minutes after the volunteers finished smoking.
Researchers said the effect is so fast that it’s equivalent to injecting the substance directly into the bloodstream.
“It is the first to investigate human metabolism of a PAH specifically delivered by inhalation in cigarette smoke, without interference by other sources of exposure such as air pollution or the diet. The results reported here should serve as a stark warning to those who are considering starting to smoke cigarettes,” noted the article.
The findings were reported in the journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, published by the American Chemical Society. (ANI)
- Beware, smoking damages your body within minutes - Jan 16, 2011
- Moist snuff high in carcinogenic content - Dec 03, 2009
- Smokeless tobacco can be as dangerous as cigarettes - Aug 17, 2009
- Just One Cigarette Can Harm, Report By U.S. Surgeon General Reveals - Dec 10, 2010
- Prenatal exposure to pollutants linked to behavioural problems in children - Apr 13, 2011
- Cannabis smoke alters human DNA: Study - Jun 17, 2009
- Study: Wood-burning stoves 'can cause cancer and heart disease' - Feb 07, 2011
- How cigarette smoke affects smokers - Apr 07, 2011
- Snuffing tobacco more dangerous than puffing - Aug 17, 2009
- Chinese 'herbal' ciggies as unhealthy as regular ones - Dec 04, 2009
- New effective strategy for treating tobacco addiction - May 12, 2010
- Scientists discover bacteria that can clean oil spill - Jun 12, 2010
- Smoking plus exposure to wood smoke increases risk of COPD - Jul 16, 2010
- 'Safe' ciggies as hazardous as tobacco - May 13, 2010
- US Surgeon General: 'Just one cigarette can also cause harm' - Dec 10, 2010
Tags: air pollution, american chemical society, aromatic hydrocarbons, cause dna damage, chemical research in toxicology, cigarette smoke, culprits, genetic damage, harmful substances, human metabolism, inhalation, journal chemical research in toxicology, lung cancer, maximum levels, pah, pahs, phenanthrene, smoke cigarettes, tobacco smoke, toxic substance