Effect of Nicotine Smoke on Genitourinary Organs of Male Albino Rats: An Experimental Study

Background and aim: The harmful effects of nicotine have been reported on the lungs and cardiovascular system in many studies, but the most unexplored profile of the effect of nicotine has been the genitourinary organs. In the current study, we planned to evaluate the effects of nicotine smoke on one of the important genitourinary organs, i.e., the testes and kidneys.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted on 12 inbred adult Wistar albino rats; 6 animals acting as a control, and the remaining six acting as a test group. The control group animals were given only sterile water, whereas animals of the test group were exposed to smoke produced from the nicotine wrapped in cotton wool in the dose of 6mg/day three times a day for each session of 5 minutes each for five days. Each rat was exposed to the smoke produced due to nicotine separately in a closed inhalational chamber and not in groups. The rats were euthanized after experimentation, and testis and kidneys were removed and subjected further to tissue processing for histological examination.
Results: The histological examination of tissue sections of the test group revealed marked distortion and degeneration of seminiferous tubules and germ cell lineage and distorted and widened interstitial spaces with loss of Leydig cells. On the other hand, the tissue sections of the control group showed normal histological architecture of testes with normal interstitial spaces and Leydig cells. Additionally, the renal sections of the test group showed dilation of urinary space, shrunken and distorted glomeruli. On the contrary, the renal specimens of the control group also demonstrated normal renal architectural patterns.
Conclusion: the results of the present study concluded that even passive smoke exposure has drastic effects on the genitourinary organs, and hence, its use in public places should be checked.