The effects of tobacco smoke on plasma alpha- and gamma-tocopherol levels in passive and active cigarette smokers

Tobacco smoke is one of the causes of oxidative stress that is leading to attenuation of the antioxidative body protective barrier by means of decreasing the levels of intra- and extracellular antioxidants. The effect of tobacco smoke on plasma levels of two main forms of Vitamin E, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol, in passive smokers (urinary cotinine concentration 50-500 mug/L) and active smokers (urinary cotinine concentration >500 mug/L) were studied. Slight, but statistically significant decreases in plasma alpha-tocopherol level in passive and active smokers in comparison with non-smokers (by 5.7% and 9.2%. respectively) were found. The plasma gamma-tocopherol levels remained unchanged. The Pearson's correlation coefficient for the plasma alpha-tocopherol level and the urinary cotinine concentration in passive and active smokers was -0.431, P = 0.004 and -0.534, P < 0.001, respectively, and for gamma-tocopherol in similar conditions -0.190, P = 0.217 and 0.346, P = 0.027, respectively. The obtained results indicate the secondary role that alpha- and gamma-tocopherol play in the process of tobacco smoke free radical scavenge, or they may also reflect the body increased anti-oxidative mobilization in response to oxidative stress evoked by tobacco smoke. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.