CIGARETTE SMOKE INTENSITY AND AN AMELIORATIVE ROLE OF VITAMIN C ON BLOOD CELL COUNTS IN ALBINO RATS

In the present study, cigarette smoke exposure shows significant alterations on blood parametersviz., Total Erythrocyte counts (TEC), Haemoglobin concentration (Hb.con.), packed cell volume(PCV), Erythrocyte Sedimentation rate (ESR), Total leukocyte counts and platelets count in albinorats. These changes may be due to the oxidative stress and inflammatory responses induced bycigarette smoke on haematopoietic system. Cigarette smoke consists of carbon monoxide andnicotinamide, which are toxic gases having the capacity to binds with the haemoglobin in redblood cells and interferes with the body’s ability to supply inadequate oxygen to the tissues thatacts as a stimulus for marrow production in the result of hypoxic polycythemia and also inducedan irritated action of tobacco smoke on the respiratory tract which causes leukocytosis in albinorats. While after supplementation of antioxidant vitamin C, which reduces the toxicity generatedby cigarette smoke to a maximum extent. This is due to the antioxidant defence mechanism ofvitamin C, which mitigates the toxic actionof cigarette smoke in albino rats.