The investigation of the effect of Marafl powder (smokeless tobacco) on hematological parameters.

Nicotine is used in different forms including smokeless tobacco. A special kind of smokeless tobacco also known as Maraş powder (MP) is widely used in southeastern region, especially Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep and other southeastern cities of Turkey. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nicotine on hematological parameters in MP users. Ninety-two MP users from Kahramanmaraş and its environs and sixtyeight healthy controls who did not use MP were included in the study. We measured haematological parameters in the blood samples of MP users and controls. Our results showed that while iron and WBC levels were higher in MP users than the controls (p< 0.001), monocyte and platelet counts were lower (p< 0.05 and p< 0.001, respectively). Increased leukocyte counts in MP users may be an indicator of the present inflammatory events in various tissues. So, we assume that MP, because of either high nicotine content or high tobacco-specific nitroso amines levels (TSNA), causes chronic inflammatory changes in various cells, organs and systemic circulation.