Toxicological Profile Of Electronic Cigarette Use: A Literature-Based Review
Abstract
Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are rapidly expanding products marketed as alternatives to conventional tobacco products and are often promoted as being less harmful. However, current literature indicates that e-cigarettes may pose significant health risks due to their complex toxicological profile. E-cigarette aerosols contain a variety of toxic chemicals, including nicotine, propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, carbonyl compounds (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein), heavy metals, aromatic additives, and volatile organic compounds. Many of these substances are formed through termal degradation and have been associated with oxidative stress, inflammation, cellular toxicity, and genotoxic effects. These toxicants exert adverse effects on oral and dental tissues as well as the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems, and several exhibit potential carcinogenic properties. Nicotine is a highly addictive alkaloid with pronounced effects on cardiovascular stress, sympathetic nervous system activation, and reward pathways. Although nicotine concentrations in e-cigarettes are often reported to be lower than those in conventional cigarettes, exposure levels may vary substantially depending on device type and technical characteristics. Similarly, other toxic constituents are generally present at lower levels in e-cigarette aerosols; nevertheless, individual exposure may differ markedly according to device design, heating temperature, e-liquid composition, and user behavior.…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tobacco and COPD: presenting the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Knowledge Summary
- Comparative effects of e-cigarette smoking on periodontal status, salivary pH, and cotinine levels
- Association between exposure to environmental pollutants and increased oral health risks, a comprehensive review
- Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes
- Natural products as kinase inhibitors in lung cancer: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and clinical trials
- Nicotine in electronic cigarettes
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.