title: Antioxidants protect against increased risk of atherosclerosis induced by exposure to cigarette smoke: Histological and biochemical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to assess the dose-dependent effect of antioxidants in protection against cardiovascular changes induced by exposure to cigarette smoke.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an experimental study, conducted at King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on 57 male albino rats divided into nine groups. Rats of experimental groups were exposed to cigarette smoke from a total of 100 cigarettes per week for four weeks in a specially designed chamber. The antioxidants used (vitamin C, E, and B-carotene) were administrated at low (9, 7.2, and 0.27 mg/day) and high doses (18, 14.4, and 0.54 mg/day), respectively, through gastric feeding tubes. The lipid profile was estimated, and the carotids and heart were removed, weighed, and then processed, and the carotid intima-media thickness was measured. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lipid profile was significantly improved in all groups treated with low or high doses of antioxidants after or during the exposure to cigarette smoke. Improvement was marked in the group treated with a high dose of antioxidants. The histological changes, as well as the intima-medial thickness of the carotid artery induced by exposure to cigarette smoke, have been improved by treatment with antioxidants (at either low or high doses), either after or during exposure to cigarette smoke. Improvement was marked in the group treated with a low dose of antioxidant. Treatment with antioxidants could not improve degenerated cardiac muscle fibers, while they could reduce the thickness of the branches of the coronary vessels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicated that antioxidants ameliorated the cigarette smoke contribution to atherosclerosis, but they could not completely reverse the changes induced by cigarette smoke. Simultaneous intake of antioxidants could ameliorate the cigarette-smoke-induced changes apart from those of the heart.
authors: Anatomy Department, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Soad Shaker
authors: SS
authors: Ali
authors: Nasra Naeim
authors: NN
authors: Ayuob
authors: Abeer Khaled
authors: AK
authors: Al Ansary
authors: Ekram Rage
authors: ER
authors: Soluman
keywords: Antioxidants; Atherosclerosis; Biochemical; Cigarette smoke; Histological
references: Circulation. 2005 May 24;111(20):2684-98
references: 15911719
references: J Nutr Biochem. 2002 Jul;13(7):427-434
references: 12121830
references: Am Heart J. 1989 Aug;118(2):234-47
references: 2750645
references: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 1997 Jun;17(6):1171-7
references: 9194770
references: Br J Surg. 1994 Jun;81(6):785-7
references: 8044585
references: Stroke. 1997 May;28(5):999-1005
references: 9158641
references: Toxicol Sci. 2003 Jun;73(2):339-47
references: 12700399
references: Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2002 Mar;72(2):91-100
references: 11944200
references: Indian J Exp Biol. 2000 May;38(5):509-11
references: 11272419
references: J Epidemiol Community Health. 1982 Jun;36(2):113-7
references: 7119654
references: Histol Histopathol. 1996 Jan;11(1):7-16
references: 8720443
references: JAMA. 1998 Jan 14;279(2):119-24
references: 9440661
references: Atherosclerosis. 1997 Feb 28;129(1):41-8
references: 9069515
references: Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Jan;65(1):121-7
references: 8988923
references: J Am Coll Nutr. 2003 Aug;22(4):258-68
references: 12897039
references: Arch Intern Med. 1994 Jun 13;154(11):1277-82
references: 8203995
references: Circulation. 1994 Jul;90(1):27-34
references: 8026008
references: Physiol Res. 2000;49(1):135-41
references: 10805415
references: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2009 May;296(5):H1586-97
references: 19270193
references: Angiology. 1999 Mar;50(3):201-8
references: 10088799
references: Toxicol Lett. 2001 Aug 6;123(1):21-32
references: 11514102
references: Atherosclerosis. 2001 Oct;158(2):257-67
references: 11583703
references: Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2002 Jul;11(3-4):321-33
references: 21782615
references: J Hypertens. 2000 Apr;18(4):411-5
references: 10779091
references: Atherosclerosis. 1990 Jan;80(3):209-16
references: 2310426
references: Free Radic Biol Med. 1999 Nov;27(9-10):1064-79
references: 10569639
references: J Surg Res. 1999 Mar;82(1):43-7
references: 10068524
references: Arterioscler Thromb. 1992 Nov;12(11):1305-12
references: 1420090
references: J Clin Epidemiol. 2000 Jul;53(7):707-14
references: 10941948
references: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2004 Sep;24(9):1652-8
references: 15271786
references: J Intern Med. 1994 Jul;236(1):79-84
references: 8021577
references: Lancet. 2003 Sep 13;362(9387):847-52
references: 13678970
references: Chem Res Toxicol. 1999 Jun;12(6):535-43
references: 10368317
references: Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2000 Sep;20(9):2087-93
references: 10978253
references: Circulation. 1999 Jun 29;99(25):3234-40
references: 10385496
references: Free Radic Biol Med. 2000 Jun 15;28(12):1806-14
references: 10946222
references: Am J Epidemiol. 1991 Aug 1;134(3):250-6
references: 1877584