Vitamin C may save smoker lungs

Consumption of 500 mg of vitamin C a day, in the form of tablets, leafy vegetables or citrus fruits can protect chain smokers from lung damage. This has been discovered by scientists and researchers of one of the Calcutta’s universities.

The scientists of this Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-funded institution have for the first time isolated the actual compound that is most dangerous in cigarette smoke-Para Benzo Semi Quinone-that causes massive oxidative damage to lung tissues. Then, after months of tests, the scientists discovered how vitamin c acted as a good anti-oxidant, saving the lungs. The American Patent Office has recognized the discovery and granted the centre patent rights. The scientists also found that per smoke, a man inhales 200 gm of PBSQ, which according to them is a very high amount.

One of the heads of the projects said that cigarette smoke has over 4000 different compounds, 3000 of which are present in the gas phase and about 1000 in the tar phase. But nobody knows which of these are more harmful. That's what made the raesaerchesrs carry out tests on guinea pig model. They made water extracts of the compounds and found that PBSQ causes most of the damage, including protein and gene destruction.