Acute effects of environmental tobacco smoke and dried dung smoke on lung histopathology in rabbits

SummaryAimsTo compare the effects of cigarette smoke and dried dung smoke exposure on the histopathology of lungs.MethodsThree groups each with five rabbits were formed. The cigarette smoke group was exposed to cigarette smoke, the biomass group was exposed to dried dung smoke and the control group was exposed to dry air 1 hour daily for 1 month. At the end of 1 month, animals were sacrificed and lung tissues were examined histopathologically.ResultsHistopathological evaluation of rabbits’ lungs revealed that intraparenchymal vascular congestion and thrombosis, intraparenchymal haemorrhage, respiratory epithelial proliferation, number of macrophages in the alveolar and bronchial lumen, alveolar destruction, emphysematous changes and bronchoalveolar haemorrhage scores were significantly increased in rabbits exposed to cigarette smoke compared with the control group. Respiratory epithelial proliferation, alveoli destruction and emphysematous change scores were significantly increased in rabbits exposed to dried dung smoke compared with the control group.ConclusionAlthough less than the effects of cigarette smoke, dried dung smoke had severe histopathological effects on rabbits’ lungs.