Effects of cigarette smoking on antioxidant vitamin and activities of antioxidases

Levels of plasma vitamin C and E (P-VC, P-VE), beta-carotene (P-beta-Car), lipoperoxides (P-LPO), and activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (E-SOD) were measured in 871 healthy smokers and 348 healthy non-smokers to study the relationship between cigarette smoking and antioxidant vitamins and oxygen free radicals. Results showed that levels of P-VC, P-VE, P-beta-Car and E-SOD reduced significantly, and level of P-LPO increased significantly in smokers, as compared with those in non-smokers. Levels of P-VC, P-VE, P-beta-Car and E-SOD reduced and level of P-LPO increased in 65 male smokers at the same age, with the increase of duration of smoking and quantity of cigarettes smoked, showing a linear correlationship. It suggested that there existed serious imbalance between oxidation and antioxidation in the bodies of smokers, and oxygen free radical reaction and reaction of lipoperoxidation obviously intensified.