DETERMINATION OF NICOTINE AND GENERAL TOXICITY OF JORDAN’S MARKET CIGARETTES

 

Feras Alali,* Adnan Massadeh

 

Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

* Correspondence: Dr. Feras Alali, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030 Irbid, Jordan. Fax: 00962-2-7095019, Email: Falali@just.edu.jo

 

Abstract

Seventeen brands of Jordan market cigarettes were evaluated in terms of nicotine content, percent of nicotine burns during smoking and general toxicity.  An accurate, reliable and simple isocratic reverse-phase photo-diode array high performance liquid chromatography (PDA-HPLC) method was adapted.  Brine shrimp lethality bioassay (BST) was used to evaluate cigarettes extract toxicity.  In general and as predicted, nicotine content of alcoholic water extract of most brands showed higher values than the labeled amount which is usually determined by gas chromatography analysis of smoke condensate.  The results show that an average of 69% of cigarette nicotine content either burn or non-volatize during smoking. According to the results obtained, toxicity of cigarettes alcoholic water extract, calculated as LD₅₀ against BST, is not proportional to nicotine content; implying other components or additives may contribute to their toxicity.