SMOKING IS VALEOLOGICALLY DANGEROUS TO HEALTH (7): Continuation!!!

[Abbas Bubakar El-ta'alu]

INGREDIENTS IN TOBACCO AND THEIR EFFECTS TO HEALTH

   
Inorganic Compounds: Hydrazine, Arsenic, Beryllium, Nickel, Chromium (only hexavalent), Cadmium,
Cobalt, Lead; Polonium-210

Aldehydes: Formaldehyde, Acetaldehyde.

Heterocyclic Compounds: Quinoline, Dibenz(a,h)acridine, Dibenz(a,j)acridine, Dibenzo(c,g)carbazole, Dibenzo(b)furan; Furan.
          The ability of an individual to convert toxic metabolites of cigarette smoke to less harmful moieties is important for minimizing the adverse health effects of these compounds. Using polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as an example, the metabolic processing of these compounds in humans involves two phases:
(a) an activation process, in which the inhaled hydrophobic PAHs are converted  mainly via aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity into hydrophilic macromolecules, especially to DNA. These intermediates may be more toxic than the original form;
(b) a detoxification process, in which these metabolic intermediates are detoxified by enzymes via transformation into conjugate forms sufficiently polar to be excreted from the body [J. Am. Med. Assoc. (2002)].
          No wonder, that the effects of smoking cigarette are so destructive. Heart disease holds first (see below Heart and Circulation). It was reported [Terry Martins. (2004)] that, there were 1,690,000 premature deaths worldwide from cardiovascular diseases among smokers in the year 2000. In contrast, there were "only" 850, 000 lung cancer deaths from cigarette smoking in the same year.