Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Apr 2008
ReviewCould charcoal filtration of cigarette smoke reduce smoking-induced disease? A review of the literature.
A review of the published work with charcoal-filtered cigarettes indicates that there are reductions in the concentrations for many gas-vapor phase constituents found in mainstream smoke. However, charcoal filters provided no apparent capacity for reduction of smoke particulate phase components. The reductions in gas-vapor phase smoke chemistry analytes generally correspond with findings of reduced toxicological activity, principally related to a reduction in the cytotoxic action of the volatile smoke constituents. ⋯ There do not appear to be any published studies using a combination of data from the different disciplines based on a consistently designed charcoal cigarette filter. Although the literature presently available would suggest that smoke filtration provided by current charcoal filter techniques alone may not be substantial enough to reduce smoking-related disease, the data are limited. Therefore, for the reduction of smoking-induced disease, it is difficult to come to a definitive conclusion regarding the potential health benefits of using charcoal as a smoke filtration technology.
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Apr 2008
Improving the quality of risk assessments in Canada using a principle-based approach.
In 2000, the Government of Canada issued the "Framework for Science and Technology Advice" (FSTA). This official government policy directive mandates that decision-making to protect human health and the environment should be carried out in a timely, predictable, and efficient manner. It also leaves no doubt that quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) are required for both technical data and the decision-making process itself. ⋯ This scheme addresses the FSTA requirement for a policy compliance checklist. It could serve as the basis for quality assurance audits during risk assessment production and quality control audits in subsequent review of the risk assessment process. Among other things, it could also improve the integration of science advice, policy objectives and general risk communication by enhancing decision-making openness and transparency.
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Oct 2007
Comparative StudyComparative safety testing of genetically modified foods in a 90-day rat feeding study design allowing the distinction between primary and secondary effects of the new genetic event.
This article discusses the wider experiences regarding the usefulness of the 90-day rat feeding study for the testing of whole foods from genetically modified (GM) plant based on data from a recent EU-project [Poulsen, M., Schrøder, M., Wilcks, A., Kroghsbo, S., Lindecrona, R. H., Miller, A., Frenzel, T., Danier, J., Rychlik, M., Shu, Q., Emami, K., Taylor, M., Gatehouse, A., Engel, K.-H., Knudsen, I., 2007a. Safety testing of GM-rice expressing PHA-E lectin using a new animal test design. ⋯ The results demonstrated the ability of the 90-day rat feeding study to detect the biological/toxicological effects of the new gene product in the GM food. The authors consider on this basis that the 90-day, rodent feeding study with one high dose level and a dietary design based upon compositional data on the GM food and toxicity data on the gene product is sensitive and specific enough to verify the presence/absence of the biological/nutritional/toxicological effects of the novel gene insert and further by the use of spiking able to separate potentially unintended effects of the novel gene product from other unintended effects at the level of intake defined in the test and within the remit of the test. Recommendations for further work necessary in the field are given.
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Mar 2007
Relationship between machine-derived smoke yields and biomarkers in cigarette smokers in Germany.
In order to determine whether smokers of cigarettes in the contemporary yield ranges of the German market (0.1-1.0mg nicotine, 1-10mg tar) differ in their actual exposure to various smoke constituents, we performed a field study with 274 smokers and 100 non-smokers. The following biomarkers were determined: In 24-h urine: Nicotine equivalents (molar sum of nicotine, cotinine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine and their respective glucuronides), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL, metabolite of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone, NNK), 3-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (metabolite of acrolein), trans,trans-muconic acid, S-phenylmercapturic acid (metabolites of benzene), 1-hydroxypyrene (metabolite of pyrene); in saliva: Cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine; in exhaled air: Carbon monoxide; in blood: Methyl-, hydroxyethyl-, cyanoethyl- (biomarker of acrylonitrile) and carbamoylethylvaline (biomarker of acrylamide) hemoglobin adducts. ⋯ Biomarker levels and per cigarette increases in smokers were at most weakly related to the machine-derived smoke yields. It is concluded that machine-derived yields of cigarettes from the contemporary German cigarette market have little or no impact on the actual smoking-related exposure determined by suitable biomarkers.
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Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. · Oct 2006
Comparative StudyThe role of ammonia in the transfer of nicotine from tobacco to mainstream smoke.
This study has examined the possible effects of ammonia-forming ingredients added to tobacco and of ammonia in mainstream (MS) smoke on the nicotine transfer from tobacco to smoke. The U. S. 1998 Marlboro Lights King Size cigarette was used as a control for four test variants that differed from the control as follows: first, a reduction in ammonia-forming ingredients added to the reconstituted tobaccos; second, no ammonia-forming ingredients added to the reconstituted tobaccos; third, no ingredients at all added to the reconstituted tobaccos; and fourth, no ingredients at all added to the entire tobacco blend. ⋯ Previous research on these cigarettes demonstrated that >99% of the MS smoke nicotine was captured and quantified by the FTC method. Statistically significant increases in soluble ammonia and MS smoke ammonia were observed for those cigarettes with ammonia-forming ingredients added to the reconstituted tobacco. However, ingredients, including ammonia and ammonia-forming compounds added to the tobacco or ammonia in the mainstream smoke in the Marlboro Lights King Size cigarette, did not increase the relative nicotine transfer or the "pH of aqueous extracts of MS smoke." "Tobacco pH" and "smoke pH" had no scientific or practical value for the cigarettes in this study.