Effect of exposure of cigarette smoke on mechanical properties and thermal behaviour of rat skin and tendon.

Skin and tendon samples of male albino rat taken for analysis, on the 120th day of smoking showed that, compared to controls, the cigarette smoke exposed group showed an increase in tensile strength of both skin and tendon while extensibility of skin remained the same and that of the tendon increased. Thermal behaviour such as isometric tension and temperature at isometric tension increased in rat skin, while in tendon only isomeric tension increased. Shrinkage temperature of skin and tendon has showed no alteration in cigarette smoke exposed rats.