Fluorescence Evaluation of Scavenging Efficiency of Antioxidants Against Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette smoke can cause cellular oxidative stress that contributes to various adverse health effects associated with smoke exposure, partially due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) present in cigarette smoke. Reduction of abundant ROS in the cigarette mainstream smoke (MSS) is of importance for human health. In this work, a simple, rapid, and reliable fluorescence evaluation of scavenging efficiency of antioxidants as potential filter additives against ROS in cigarette smoke is reported. This method was based on the combination of model glass reactor and a fluorescence assay of ROS in cigarette smoke using dihydrorhodamine 6 G (DHR-6 G). The antioxidant was added into a glass reactor attached to cigarette filter, which simplified the preparation of combined filter containing additives. The ROS scavenging efficiency of antioxidants was then determined using spectrofluorimetry by the change in fluorescence intensity of whole smoke-bubbled solutions before and after addition of antioxidants into the glass reactor. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of ROS scavenging efficiency of several potential additives, such as tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), vitamin C, β-carotene, grape seed extract, and Ginkgo biloba extract. Moreover, the relationship between MSS ROS scavenging efficiency and antioxidant activities (DPPH radicals scavenging efficiency and Fe²⁺ reducing power) of these compounds was also investigated.