ESR Study on Scavenging Effect of Squalene on Free Radicals in Mainstream Cigarette Smoke

Abstract

Radicals in mainstream cigarette smoke (MCS) have been proposed to contribute to the harm caused by cigarette smoking. In the present study, we used natural antioxidant, squalene, to treat cigarette filters and tobacco for scavenging gas- and particulate-phase free radicals in MCS. The scavenging activities of cigarette filter and tobacco containing squalene against gas and particulate-phase free radicals were detected and quantified using spin-trapping or directly electron spin resonance spectroscopy method. The results revealed that squalene could significantly scavenge gas- and particulate-phase free radicals in MCS in a dose-dependent manner. The radical-scavenging activity of cigarette filter treatment was higher than that of tobacco treatment, irrespective of either gas-phase free radicals, or particulate-phase free radicals in MCS. Among them, 3 mg squalene/filter treatment showed that the highest scavenging effects against gas- and particulate-phase free radicals were 35.9 and 35.4%, respectively. The use of squalene as potential scavenger for reducing free radicals in cigarette smoke is discussed.