Effects of Cigarette Smoking on Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant Status in Iraqi Men at Baghdad City

Objectives: To explore the effect of cigarette smoking on lipid peroxidation induced oxidative stress and antioxidants in normal subjects living at Baghdad city- Iraq.

Methods: A case-control study was conducted at Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, College of Medicine, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad- Iraq in the period from June 2011 to April 2012. The study included 40 smokers who had been smoking for more than one year and 42 non-smokers healthy volunteers. Malondialdehyde, glutathione and superoxide dismutase were measure spectrophotometrically.

Results: The plasma malondialdehyde level was significantly (p< 0.05) increased in smokers compared with non-smokers (0.75±0.17 nmole/mL and 0.69±0.12 nmole/mL) respectively, on the other hand the plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione were decreased non-significantly in smokers (0.61±0.21 U/mL and 0.44±0.22 mM) respectively compared with those for non-smokers (0.66±0.41 U/mL and 0.50±0.165 mM) respectively.

Conclusion: Our study suggests that smoking induces lipid peroxidation with balanced antioxidant status.