Nasal Snuff (Nigeria Local Smokeless Tobacco) Administration Raises Hepatic Enzyme Plasma Levels in Wistar Rats

Aims: Smokeless tobacco (ST) is commonly used in many countries and is considered as alternative to tobacco smoke (TS) in view of the increasing awareness of the hazardous effects of TS. This study investigated the effects of 30 days oral administration of Nasal Snuff, a local ST in Nigeria (≈ 0.5 or 1 mg/kg nicotine) on liver function in prepubertal and adult rats, in comparison with nicotine.

Place and Duration Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria; between February and April, 2014.

Methodology: Rats were divided into 10 groups (5 groups for prepubertal and 5 groups for adult), and each group contained six animals. Prepubertal and adult rats were given Nasal Snuff, a local ST product (≈ 0.5 or 1 mg/kg nicotine, p.o.), nicotine (0.5 or 1 mg/kg, s.c.) or distilled water (control). At the end of 30 days of daily treatment, the rats were sacrificed and plasma levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and acid phosphatase (ACP) were measured. Histological analysis of the livers of animals was also done.

Results: ST had no effect on ALP, but caused elevations in plasma levels of AST, ALT and ACP in prepubertal rats, producing 126.8, 602.9 and 193.2% increases, respectively. ST also increased AST (122.7%) and ALT (169%) in the adult rats. Nicotine did not cause changes in ALP and ACP levels, but increased AST and ALT in prepubertal (159.4 and 275.6%, respectively) and adult rats (137.1 and 496.7%, respectively). ST and nicotine caused comparable cytoplasmic degeneration of liver microstructure in prepubertal and adult rats.

Conclusion: ST, particularly at high dose levels, poses potential danger of hepatotoxicity in young and adult animals.