21 J. Ecophysiol. Occup. Hlth. 12 (2012) 21-27 ® 2012 The Academy of Environmental Biology, India Efficacy of vitamin E against cigarette smoke induced alterations in pulmonary tissue, serum enzymes and lipid profile in albino rats Abstract :The present study was designed to evaluate the protective role of vitamin E(50mg/kg bwt) against adverse effects of cigarette smoke (60 and 120 days) on lung tissue , serum enzyme activity and lipid profile in male albino rats. Reduction in the histopathological changes like emphysema, pulmonary edema, debris, capillary permeability and thick epithelium have been seen after supplementation of vitamin E in comparison to cigarette smoke exposed rats. Decrease in serum enzyme activity viz. SGPT (P<0.05), SGOT (P> 0.05) and SALP (P<0.05) and serum lipid profile - serum cholesterol (P>0.05), serum triglycerides (P<0.05), LDL (P>0.05) and VLDL (P<0.05) with corresponding increase in HDL level (P>0.05) have also reported after pre-exposure supplementation of vitamin E in comparison to cigarette smoke exposed rats. Vitamin E is able to mitigate the toxic effects of cigarette smoke on albino rats. Key words: Cigarette smoke, Albino rat, Lung histopathology, SGPT, SGOT, SALP, Serum lipid profile, Antioxidant vitamin E Introduction Cigarette smoking is a world-wide major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality. Smoking yields chemical substances with cytotoxic potentials. Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of chemical containing more than 4000 different constituents which are harmful for the health. It generates many toxic and carcinogenic compounds, such as nicotine, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide and free radicals (Hoffmann et al., 2001). The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that tobacco deaths in India may exceed 1.5 million annually by 2020. By 2030, if current trends continues, smoking will kill more than 9 million people annually (Yanbaeva et al., 2007).Cigarette smoke contains approximately 17 10 oxidant molecules per puff that can cause damage to lipids, proteins, DNA, carbohydrates and other biomolecules (Wei et al., 2001). The lungs are an essential organ of respiration and fuel us with oxygen, which pass into the blood stream, where It is rushed off to the tissue and organs that require it to function. Blood lipids are well known factors associated with the development of cardiovascular diseases. Fat build up more easily on arterial wall damage by cigarette smoke and alters the level of lipoprotein (Neki, 2002). Plasma lipoprotein abnormalities are said to be the underlying major risk factors for the common occurrence of atherosclerotic vascular diseases (Shai et al., 2004). Increased production of free radicals in gas phase and tar phase of cigarette smoke produces oxidative stress and can result in the oxidation of lipids, consequently perturbs the antioxidant defense system (Ambrose and Barua, 2004). Antioxidants are capable of stabilizing, deactivating or scavenging free radicals before B.S. Sharma, Nibha Rathore and Asha Agarwal Department of Environmental Studies, School of Life Sciences, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Khandari Campus, Agra-282002 *Department of Zoology, School of Life Sciences, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Khandari Campus, Agra-282002 * * Email : dr.agarwala@rediffmail.com