(Smokeless Tobacco) on Selected Hematological and Biochemical Parameters: a Study on Healthy Adult Males of Hazaribag, Jharkhand
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IJPCBS 2013, 3(4), 1172-1178 Roan Mukherjee et al. ISSN: 2249-9504 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES Available online at www.ijpcbs.com Research Article ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING AND CONSUMING GUTKA (SMOKELESS TOBACCO) ON SELECTED HEMATOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS: A STUDY ON HEALTHY ADULT MALES OF HAZARIBAG, JHARKHAND Roan Mukherjee1 and Amal Chatterjee2 1Department of Human Physiology, Hazaribag College of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Demotand, Hazaribag - 825301, Jharkhand, India. 2V.D. Clinic, Uluberia Sub Division Hospital, Howrah - 711315, West Bengal, India. ABSTRACT In this study, the differences in total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin levels, differential leukocyte count, total serum cholesterol level and blood glucose levels were comparatively evaluated between control group (n=17), smokers (n=19) and gutka consumers (n=24).Thus the study included a total of 60 subjects. Healthy male students (age 20-30 years) of Hazaribag district, Jharkhand formed the study subjects. All the subjects had normal Body Mass Index and were from middle class family. Standard procedures were used to determine all the parameters under study. It was found that in comparison to control group both smokers and gutka consumers experienced the following : significant elevation (< 0.001) in total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count, packed cell volume, haemoglobin level, neutrophil percentage, total serum cholesterol level and blood glucose level. Significant reduction in the percentage of monocyte (< 0.05) and lymphocyte (< 0.001). Majority of the variation of these parameters between smokers and gutka consumers were not significant (> 0.05). It may be concluded that smoking tobacco and consumption of gutka had deleterious effect on haematological parameters and biochemical parameters of the sample studied. The observed increased leukocyte count reflected that inflammatory responses had already started in the sample studied. Awareness is need to stop tobacco usage and safeguard health of youths. Keywords: smokers, gutka, haematological parameters, biochemical parameters. INTRODUCTION lungs, especially by causing accumulation of Addiction to tobacco products has become neutrophil in the lungs7,8. The effect of smoking common in Indian society. The addictive nature on leukocyte count reflects inflammatory of tobacco is mainly due to the presence of activity, exposures to oxidants or vulnerability nicotine (a major tobacco alkaloid) in it1. of the host towards inflammatory conditions 9. It Tobacco smoke produced by cigarette, bidi, etc has been known that to deal with the contains harmful and carcinogenic substances inflammatory response elicited by smoke of viz.,carbon monoxide, nicotine, free radicals and tobacco, protein degrading enzymes are released others2,3. Smoking has many negative impact on by the neutrophils which is more damaging for health which includes cardiovascular the normal cells in the vicinity10 .Many earlier complications, respiratory diseases and cancer4,5 studies had shown ill effects of tobacco smoking .Diabetes has also been linked with smoking6. on haematologic variables11-17 and biochemical The harmful substances present in the tobacco variables6,18 . smoke may lead to oxidative damage to the 1172 IJPCBS 2013, 3(4), 1172-1178 Roan Mukherjee et al. ISSN: 2249-9504 Smokeless tobacco products commonly used in determined by haemocytometer. Haemoglobin India includes gutka, paan, khaini and jarda. was estimated by Sahili’s hemoglobinometer. Gutka mainly contains tobacco in powered form, Packed cell volume was determined by along with areca nut, slaked lime and perfumery Wintrobe’s Method. Tally chart method was substances. Studies have linked consuming gutka used for differential leukocyte count. with periodontal inflammation, oral cancer, etc. It has been concluded that damages caused by Biochemical investigations: Total serum gutaka may not be only limited to oral cavity. cholesterol and fasting blood glucose level was Paan or betel quid is a cocktail of areca nut, estimated employing a kit method on a slaked lime, sweeteners. Sometimes tobacco is semiautoanalyzer (Microlab 300). chewed with it. Khaini and jarda is mainly powered tobacco along with slaked lime19,20. Statistical analysis of the data: Mean and Although limited, reports are available that standard deviation (SD) were calculated for all indicate adverse effect of different forms the hematologic and biochemical parameters. smokeless tobacco on hematologic and One way ANOVA were applied to test the biochemical parameters21,22 ,23. Such adverse significance of variance of the parameters under effects of smokeless tobacco have been study between control group, smokers and attributed by authors to be due to nicotine gutka consumers. Post- hoc Tukey’s pairwise content of tobacco23. In view of these reports, comparison were also used. the present study comparatively assessed the effect of smoking and consuming gutka on RESULTS selected blood hematology parameters and The mean and standard deviation of various biochemical parameters, in contrast to control hematological parameters of control group, group in a sample of healthy young adult males. smokers and gutka consumers are presented in Table 1. It was prominent from the data that the MATERIALS AND METHOD hematological profile of smokers and gutka The study was conducted among 60 healthy male consumers differed from control group in the students (undergraduate/ post graduate following ways: both of them had significantly /research scholars). Their age varied between higher total erythrocyte count, total leukocyte 20-30 years. The sample included control group count, packed cell volume and Haemoglobin (n=17), smokers (n=19) and gutka consumers levels. The results of differential count showed (n=24) .All the subjects were selected from a few that they even had significantly higher residential mess in Hazaribag district and percentage of neutrophil in their blood. belonged to middle class family. The study was Moreover, monocyte percentage and lymphocyte conducted according to the Helsinki declaration. percentage in their blood were significantly Purposive sampling were employed for selection lower. It was noted that in majority of the cases of participants in the study; individuals who smokers and gutka consumers did not voluntarily agreed to give blood samples were significantly differ among themselves in these only included in the study. Alcoholic smokers or hematological parameters. gutka consumers were excluded from the study. The mean and standard deviation of the Subjects of only normal nutritional status (Body determined biochemical parameters of control Mass Index or BMI =18.5-24.9) 24 were included group, smokers and gutka consumers are in the study. Control group – were formed with presented in Table 2. It was evident from the individuals who were non smokers and do not data that in contrast to control group, smokers consume gutka. Smokers – were the subjects and gutka consumers had significanty higher smoking cigarette / bidi regularly for at least 3 levels of total serum cholesterol and higher consecutive years. Gutka consumers – were the fasting blood glucose levels. The two biochemical subjects consuming gutka regularly for at least 3 parameter did not significantly differ between consecuitive years. Informed consent were taken smokers and gutka consumers. from the subjects. DISCUSSION Laboratory tests The present study was conducted to assess the Venous blood (approximately 5 ml) were impact of smoking and gutka consumption of collected in the morning hours from each some hematological and biochemical parameters subjects for hematological and biochemical in a sample of healthy young adult males. The investigations. study showed that both hematological and biochemical parameters are susceptible to Hematological investigations: The total adverse effects of smoking and gutka erythrocyte count, total leukocyte count were consumption. 1173 IJPCBS 2013, 3(4), 1172-1178 Roan Mukherjee et al. ISSN: 2249-9504 The increased total erythrocyte count, packed smoking may also influence the number of cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) levels leukocytes present in blood. in smokers, in contrast to control group in the It may be speculated that damages to tissues and present study confirms the results obtained by inflammation29 might have also operated behind several earlier studies11-17.These effects are an increase in total leukocyte count in gutka possibly secondary to hypoxic stimuli exerted by users of the present study. Smokless tobacco smoking. may act as a carcinogen on chronic usage33. High levels of carbon Monoxide (CO) are present The observed increase in neutrophil percentage in tobacco smoke. Tobacco smokers may and decrease in lymphocyte percentage in possess continuous increased levels of carboxy – smokers in the present study is in accordance to Hb in blood 25. CO lowers the affinity of previous studies34,35,36. Varried reports of haemoglobin for oxygen by binding with Hb to increase in one or more types of leukocyte are form carboxy –Hb. This affects the capacity of available in literature 31,37,38. The reason behind Hb to carry and deliver oxygen to different such variations warrants exploration39. tissues of the body26. Changes in arterial oxygen Neutrophils are known to produce cytotoxic tension are known to affect erythropoietin substances which adversely affects lung production.