Summary
Introduction:
This article presents a study that aims to rank the organic compounds in mainstream tobacco smoke by their ‘‘effective toxicity’’ as a means to reduce the overall toxicity of cigarette smoke condensate. The study uses concentration data from the International agency for Cancer Research (IaRC), biological activity data from the Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) database, and measured and calculated log P values to rank order some of the important compounds in cigarette smoke condensate by their measured or potential toxicity.
Key Points:
* The study uses a categorization scheme consisting of six different categories of biological activity, with Category 1 being the most potent (rodent carcinogen+reproductive e/C128ector) and Category 6 being the least potent (insufficient evidence of biological activity).
* The study identifies at least 14 compounds of particular interest based on effective average concentration values and toxicity category.
* The study identifies several compounds in the most potent Category 1 (rodent carcinogen+reproductive e/C128ector) that are considered by IaRC to possess carcinogenic risk in humans, including benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde.
* The study also highlights the potential over-classification of certain compounds, such as phenol, in the databases used.
* The study notes that the relationship between log P and toxicity is not always straightforward, as hydrophobic compounds can be converted to chemical species with increased toxicity during metabolic processes.
* The study also discusses the challenges in reducing the toxicity of cigarette smoke, including the complex interactive effects of different compounds and the difficulty of extrapolating biological activity results between cigarette smoke and cigarette smoke condensate.
Main Message:
The study provides a comprehensive and systematic approach to ranking the organic compounds in mainstream tobacco smoke by their effective toxicity. The study highlights the importance of considering concentration, metabolic fate, potency in in vivo and in vitro assays, and the ability to reach target tissues when evaluating the toxicity of individual compounds in complex mixtures like cigarette smoke condensate. The study also emphasizes the need for further research and testing to fully understand the toxicity of individual compounds and their interactive effects in cigarette smoke condensate, as well as the potential impact of changes in cigarette design and manufacturing on the toxicity of cigarette smoke. Overall, the study underscores the complexity of reducing the toxicity of cigarette smoke and the need for a multifaceted and evidence-based approach to addressing this public health challenge.
Citation
Smith, C.J, and C hansch. “The Relative Toxicity of Compounds in Mainstream Cigarette Smoke Condensate.” Food and Chemical Toxicology 38, no. 7 (July 2000): 637–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-6915(00)00051-X.
