Mitigation by vitamin C of the genotoxic effects of nicotine in mice, assessed by the comet assay and micronucleus induction

Nicotine has been reported to cause acute toxicity and to present long-term risks, such as chromosomal damage and genetic instability. The genotoxicity of nicotine may be mediated partly by an oxidative mechanism. We have evaluated the effects of the antioxidant vitamin C on nicotine-induced genotoxicity in mice. The comet assay and the micronucleus test were used to assess the effects of nicotine (15 mg/kg) at different exposure times (2, 4, and 24 h in the comet assay; 24 h in the micronucleus test). Pretreatment with vitamin C 24 h before nicotine exposure strongly protected mice against nicotine-induced DNA damage.

► Genotoxicity effect of nicotine in vivo. ► Vitamin C significantly reduces DNA damage caused by nicotine in mice by about 99%. ► Nicotine has been identified as genotoxic and its genotoxicity may be partly mediated by an oxidative mechanism.