Cytogenetic damage in bidi smokers.

The genotoxic effects of bidi smoke were investigated in the somatic chromosomes of 45 men habituated to smoking bidi. Mitotic index (MI), chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) and satellite associations (SA) were used as parameters. When compared with the results obtained in the blood samples from the comparable non-smoker group of men, a significant increase (p < 0.01) was noted in all the above mentioned parameters of the smoker subjects: MI (3.71-6.24), CA (0.84-3.23), SCE (3.68-7.65) and SA (5.26-11.28). A clear time-dose-effect relationship has been observed. Bidi smoke thus is both clastogenic and genotoxic for human beings.