Effects to exposure of tobacco smoke and alcohol on the tongue and pharynx of rats

Aim: To study in rats the effects of exposure to tobacco and alcohol on the mucosa of the tongue and pharynx.Material and methods: Forty adult Wistar rats were allocated into four groups of 10 animals each: GI (control), food and water “ad libitum”; GII (alcohol), 30% of ethanol diluted in drinking water and food “ad libitum”; GIII (tobacco), exposure to the smoke of 10 cigarettes/day, food and water “ad libitum”; GIV (alcohol and tobacco), simultaneous exposure to both agents. After 260 days, the animals were sacrificed. Tongue and pharynx were removed for histopathological analysis.Results: GI had the lowest tongue and pharynx histological scores. In GII, GIII, and GIV tongue samples revealed: apical cell hyperplasia (GII: 60%, GIII: 30%, GIV: 20%), basal cell hyperplasia (GII: 60%, GIII: 40%), hyperkeratosis (GII: 70%, GIII: 30%, GIV: 30%), dysplasia (GII: 60%, GIII: 60%, GIV: 50%), and apoptosis (GII: 60%, GIII: 40%, GIV: 60%). Pharynx samples revealed: apical cell hyperplasia (GII: 40%, GIII: 30%, GI...