Human Salivary Thiocyanate Level of Adult Volunteers in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Salivary thiocyanate levels of 379 volunteers aged 18-55 years were estimated spectrophotometrically. The results obtained were analyzed on the basis of sex, smoking, kola nut eating and gari eating habits. The levels of salivary thiocyanate levels of smokers, smokers who eat gari, smoker who eat kola nut and smokers who eat gari and kola nut are 3.61±2.07mM, 3.27±1.96mM, 4.19±2.15mM and 4.18±2.39mM respectively. These values are significantly higher than those of non-smokers who, eats kola nut (1.35±1.05mM), eat gari (1.49±1.09mM), eat gari and kola nut (1.64±1.02mM) and neither eat gari nor kola nut (1.30±O.93mM). The values obtained were significantly higher for females. Significant percentage of smokers (70-80%) had salivary thiocyanate level >2.0mmolll. Only about 20% of non-smokers had salivary thiocyanate levels >2.0mmolll. Analysis of the results did not show any synergistic effect of these habits on salivary thiocyanate of the subjects combining these habits. No correlation was also found between salivary thiocyanate level and age. Cyanide exposure may therefore be another risk factor in tobacco smoking.