Tobacco smoking and its impact on the micro-environment

Statistical data have been presented to show that cultivation and manufacture of tobacco has, as an economic activity of the country, recorded a 20% reduction in the production of cigarettes and also in its imports. The 70.000 tens of tobacco grown in Pakistan provides six to seven billion lethal doses to its sixty million smokers. The intoxication symptoms enjoyed by smokers have been discussed. It has been suggested that they are psychological as well as result of interaction of the dry distillation products of tobacco with the respiratory system in the micro-environment. These products include carbon monoxide, hydrocyanic acid, nitrogen oxide, ammonia, pyridine and tar besides nicotine. The stresses created in the micro-environment surface up in the form of circulatory and intestinal disturbances. Nicotine interacts in the micro-environment [1] with the ganglia cells of the autonomous nervous system and creates a stimulating effect followed by depression [2] with the gastro-intestinal canal to create sympatheticotropic effects resulting in intestinal movements ad [3] with the sympathetic nervous system to effect gastric secretion. The other products of decomposition also react with the circulatory system to decrease the oxygen carrying capacity of blood through the interaction of [i] carbon monoxide to form carboxyhaemoglobin, and [ii] of nitrogen oxides, hydrogen cyanides, and other decomposition products to form methaemoglobin and [iii] the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase activity to create an acid-base imbalance in the circulatory system. Hot fumes containing ammonia, methanol and organic acids inhaled during smoking create irritation in the micro-environment and a burning sensation in the mucosa of mouth and throat. Chronic irritation can create a permanently damaged site in the respiratory tract. Lung cancer by smoking has been suggested to be due to tar depositing at the sites in the micro-environment which have been dehydrated by the hot vapours. The increase in cancer cases can be attributed to changes in lifestyle and smoking is one such change. Strong social pressure may reverse the degradation process and perhaps this is one of the reasons for the decrease in the production of tobacco manufactures in the country

concept of temperament and aging

The Greco-Arab system of medicine has been examined with reference to the concept of temperament and compatibility and the elements aire, water, earth and fire which have the properties of being cold, wet, dry and hot have been interpreted as endothermic, hydration, dehydration and exothermic reactions. Compatibility of a substance with a living body has been suggested to be dependent on its being hydrogen bondable. Temperament of the living body is suggested to be its ability to maintain an optimum hydration level, a positive mass and energy balance as well as the elemental [chemical] and substrate balance and to reactivate the deactivated enzymes. In case of any imbalances, the life processes would be disturbed and the most favoured reactions that would predominate over others would comprise oxidative dehydration reactions which would give rise to a cold and dry temperament that would characterize aging

Changes in the micro-environment and aging

The dehydration Theory of Aging has been further elaborated by citing reactions between proteins such as those of bacterial cell walls, algae and collagen and toxins such as dyes and metals, formaldehyde quinone and the tannins. It has been argued that the reactions are initiated by disturbance in the micro-environment followed by fixation to the protein and finally introduction of cross-links accompanied by dehydration

Stresses in the micro-environment and aging

Changes introduced in the micro-environment as a result of stresses are suggested to lead to accelerated aging in material as well as living systems. Both have a designed capacity to undergo stresses. For a machine it is possible to estimate the capacity or safety from the ratio of damaging stress to working stress but in the absence of such data on living organisms, a guideline can be obtained from the analysis of biological fluids and metabolites present therein, for food or other material input, to retard aging. Interactions and reactions of living organisms are governed by Le Chatelier's principle just as much as in material system. It has been shown that stresses are a part of the reaction equilibria on which living systems operate. A rat race, that is on to attain better quality of life, is putting considerable stress on the individuals concerned. They have to fit into a fast moving society or else they would be counted out. Stresses such as these demand extra work from mind as well as body. The resultant strain then appears in the form muscular or mental fatigues delirium, nervous tension, blood pressure or heart ailment. Living system, the paper observes, has to adjust to environmental constraints according to the said principle to respond to stresses and for conservation as well as maintenance of metabolites observed among plants, animals and mankind, wears out the strained parts of the body and are responsible for aging. Human system has been suggested to have the ability to absorb and transmit environmental stresses, through its superior central nervous system into the endocrine glands. The adjustment process demands considerable amount of extra energy for operation of the psyche and the high demand on the system leads to accelerated aging

Stresses in the micro-environment of the respiratory systems and initiation of aging

Hydration of carbon dioxide and dehydration of carbonic acid constitute the equilibria occurring in the respiratory system. They have been examined in the light of the Dehydration Theory of Aging. It has been argued that water, carbon dioxide and oxyhaemoglobin formed as the products of respiratory reactions combine to form the bicarbonate ion and release haemoglobin along with molecular oxygen. This reaction provides the main driving force for the respiratory system and if reversed constitutes the oxidative dehydration process which is the mechanism that governs the aging process. The reversal. However, takes place only partially to the extent of 0.15% since the ratio of concentration of bicarbonate ion to dissolved carbon dioxide is 20 to 1. The aging process is accordingly very slow. The demand of oxygen as a result of body activity is suggested to be governed by Le Chatelier's principle. The thickening of alveolar and capillary interface as well as attenuation of surface area for diffusion take place by the oxidative dehydration through formation of cross links due to pressure required for the transfer of gases to meet the demaned. The formation of cross links is, however, retarded by antioxidants such as ascorbic acid and as such the process of aging is not rapid. Stress created by smoking of tobacco on the respiratory system has been taken as an example to elucidate the effects of oxidative dehydration in the mirco-environment

Circulation system in life processes and aging

The Dehydration Theory of Aging has been extended to the circulation system which has to transport as mush fluid daily as two to three times the weight of the body. The fluid quality and volume has to be precisely controlled. The system is put to tremendous strain in order to overcome the resistance from arterioles and micro-capillaries in the body which carry the fluids and from the glomeruli of the kidney. The latter provide a mechanism for ultrafiltration as well as reabsorption of 99% of the glomerular fluid to pass as urine. The resistance in transportation has been suggested to be due to cross-links formed between hydrophobic materials such as cholesterol and the muscle fibres, an example being the age pigment lipofuscin. Such cross-links introduced by small but significant quantities of aldehydes among collagen of blood vessels are suggested to be responsible for the rigidity of old blood vessels for the 60% reduction in the blood flow in the kidneys and for the reduction in flow in the peripheral vascular system during the aging process. The oxidative dehydration process of aging strike a balance in the circulation system just as much as in the respiratory system. This balance does not allow the accumulation of hydrogen ions which otherwise could give rise to acidosis, and this condition does not allow cross-link formation as is observed in the case of tanning the hide or dyeing the leathers. Excretion of surplus water, non-metabolized solutes in the diet and nitrogenous end products is a function of the kidney. It thus controls the osmolality of solutes and the hydration and dehydration processes. The carbonic anhydrase enzyme which plays a major role in catalyzing the absorption of carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid and its conversion to bicarbonate would lose its activity in the event of reduction of hydration level. This is suggested to be the major reason for the 60% reduction of kidney function during aging. Imbalance in the citrate and calcium ion transportation makes the cells more alkaline and favours calcium deposition. The crystalloids of calcium, magnesium, phosphate, oxalate and urates are present in the urine in supersaturated state. The presence of sequestering agents inhibits the growth and deposition of the crystalloids but their inhibitory effect is reduced in the acidic environment of the kidney or in stress situations and causes the deposition of renal calculi. The acidification of urine has also been considered in terms of the hydration and dehydration process and the circulation system in life processes has been suggested to support the hypothesis