Description

ABSTRACT

Nicotine, after rapid absorption in human airways immediately goes to the blood resulting malfunction of the defence system. Studies on nicotine-induced toxicity of female population is still relevant because women are more susceptible to nicotine-induced complications. This study was an attempt to overcome the nicotine-induced genotoxicity of blood cells of female population by using nanocurcumin against nicotine-induced toxicity. Experiments  were conducted on female rats exposed daily by effective dose of nicotine (2.5 mg/kg body weight) followed by supplementation of nanocurcumin (4 mg/kg body weight) for 21 days. Animals were eradicated after treatment period and several experiments were done from their blood. The molecular docking and in vitro interactions studies were explored to search the mechanism of action of nanocurcumin against nicotine-induced toxicity. Nanocurcumin showed its potential therapeutic efficacy against nicotine-induced complications. It increased haemoglobin (Hb) and DNA contents and reduced DNA damage very effectively (p < 0.001). Molecular docking predicted that nanocurcumin had stronger interaction to haemoglobin and DNA which protected those molecules from nicotine-induced toxicity. In vitro interaction studies also supported the molecular docking hypothesis. Nanocurcumin could be a promising therapeutic agent against nicotine-induced genotoxicities of blood cells and  it could more effectively protect our health particularly, nicotine intoxicated female population.

Key words: Blood cells, DNA damage, Docking, Nanocurcumin, Nicotine.