Effects to exposure of tobacco smoke and alcohol on the tongue and pharynx of rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study in rats the effects of exposure to tobacco and alcohol on the mucosa of the tongue and pharynx.


METHODS
Forty adult Wistar rats were allocated into four groups of 10 animals each: GI (control), food and water "ad libitum"; GII (alcohol), 30% of ethanol diluted in drinking water and food "ad libitum"; GIII (tobacco), exposure to the smoke of 10 cigarettes/day, food and water "ad libitum"; GIV (alcohol and tobacco), simultaneous exposure to both agents. After 260 days, the animals were sacrificed. Tongue and pharynx were removed for histopathological analysis.


RESULTS
GI had the lowest tongue and pharynx histological scores. In GII, GIII, and GIV tongue samples revealed: apical cell hyperplasia (GII: 60%, GIII: 30%, GIV: 20%), basal cell hyperplasia (GII: 60%, GIII: 40%), hyperkeratosis (GII: 70%, GIII: 30%, GIV: 30%), dysplasia (GII: 60%, GIII: 60%, GIV: 50%), and apoptosis (GII: 60%, GIII: 40%, GIV: 60%). Pharynx samples revealed: apical cell hyperplasia (GII: 40%, GIII: 30%, GIV: 70%), basal cell hyperplasia (GII: 30%, GIII: 40%, GIV: 40%), hyperkeratosis (GII: 50%, GIII: 80%, GIV: 40%), and dysplasia (GII: 50%, GIII: 80%, GIV: 50%). Carcinoma in situ was detected in both sites.


CONCLUSIONS
Alcohol and tobacco led to significant tongue and pharyngeal lesions that ranged from benign events to severe dysplasia. These findings confirm the deleterious effects of alcohol and tobacco on the airway mucosa.
Oftalmology, Otorrinolaryngology, and Head and Neck Surgery, Botucatu Medical School, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, São Paulo.
Regina Helena
RH
Garcia Martins
Sergio Luiz
SL
Marques Madeira
Alexandre Todorovic
AT
Fabro
Noemi de Souza
Nde S
Rocha
Graziela
G
de Oliveira Semenzati
Karen Fernanda
KF
Alves
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D006965:Hyperplasia; D008297:Male; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D010614:Pharynx / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012906:Smoke / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014059:Tongue / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D062789:Tobacco Products
D012906:Smoke; D000431:Ethanol