OREANDA-NEWS  It turned out that even seemingly harmless modern devices lead to the destruction of lung protein and thereby cause irreparable harm to health. This was reported by the press service of the KFU.

The experiment was carried out on 30 male white Wistar rats weighing about 350 grams. The animals were exposed to pairs of vapes, what caused their significantly increasing the level of activity of trypsin-like proteinases - enzymes that break down proteins. As a result, the process of destruction of lung tissue proteins began in the rats.

- We divided the rodents into three groups, - said the associate professor of the Department of General and Clinical Pathophysiology of the Medical Academy. S.I. Georgievsky KFU Leonid Aliev. - The first group was the control group. The second included rodents that were exposed to vapors of a nicotine-free smoking mixture, and rats from the third breathed in vapors of a mixture containing nicotine. After 40 days, there biochemical changes appeared in the respiratory organs of rats - damage to structural proteins in the lung tissue. This is due to a decrease in the activity of inhibitor proteins, which in a healthy body are responsible for protecting tissues from the possible destructive action of certain enzymes. But due to the regular inhalation of vaping vapors, this mechanism is disrupted.

Scientists have confirmed that nicotine blends still have a more severe effect on the body. This is confirmed by an increase in the level of activity of trypsin-like proteinases by 49 percent compared to the action of nicotine-free analogs. However, nicotine-free vapors from e-cigarettes also lead to a decrease in lung protection factors. Experts explain the fact of harm from such vapors by the presence of the toxic gas formaldehyde in them. The so-called free radicals are especially harmful in vapes.

“Free radicals are highly reactogenic molecules that damage cellular structures, as a result of which proteinases can be released”, -  added Anatoly Kubyshkin, the vice-rector for scientific activities of the Kazan Federal University. - The content of these molecules increases significantly both in tobacco smoke and in vapors of various smoking mixtures. The lungs have a very powerful defense against external factors, but if a person is genetically predisposed to diseases of the respiratory system or has defects in it, then exposure to aggressive substances will certainly lead to chronic diseases. Therefore, smoking even nicotine-free mixtures is dangerous with a whole range of unforeseen health problems.