Anti-oxidant vitamins, nitric oxide and acute phase proteins in Nigerian Cigarette Smokers

It is established that there is increased risk of developing heart disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer and infections in cigarette smokers. However specific mechanisms whereby cigarette smoking causes these are not fully understood. The present study provided information to explain above observation by measuring plasma levels of caeruloplasmin, alpha-2-macroglobulin, nitric oxide (NO) and vitamins C and E in Nigerian cigarette smokers and non-cigarette smokers. The mean values of antioxidant vitamins C and E were significantly lower while NO was not significantly reduced in the smokers compared with the controls. The level of alpha-2- macroglobulin was significantly raised while caeruloplasmin was not significantly raised in smokers compared with controls. This study confirmed that inflammation is a common phenomenon in cigarette smokers and that significantly decreased levels of antioxidant vitamins C and E and raised level of caeruloplasmin might explain the development of cardiovascular diseases in cigarette smokers. (Afr. J. Biomed. Res. 11: 291 – 295) Key Words; Cigarette, Nigeria, oxidants, vitamins and acute phase reactants.