While a new British study confirms the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes in smoking cessation, new research from Harvard TH Chan School reveals that certain flavored products widely used for vaping affect the functioning of the eyelashes in the respiratory tract.
Since the lashes of the eyelids are responsible for protecting the eye from dust and foreign particles, these microscopic hairs are the lungs’ first line of defense. They rid the inspired air of the debris it carries, and thus play a key role in ensuring that an individual breathes easily and without irritation.
Risks of lung disease
In this study, published in the Scientific Reports On February 1, researchers looked at the impact of flavored chemicals on the epithelial cells of the lungs – the cells that line the surfaces of these organs. To do this, in a system mimicking the human respiratory tract, they exposed them to the liquids used in electronic cigarettes, in particular the diacetyl and some 2,3-pentanedione.
They discovered that both were linked to changes in the expression of genes that regulate the production and function of eyelashes. Even if the cells were exposed to low concentrations. In a press release, the researchers point out that the alteration of the eyelashes is associated with risks of pulmonary diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma.
Over previous research by their colleagues had identified traces of flavoring chemicals – primarily diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione – in over 90% of e-cigarettes they tested. “While some e-cig makers claim they don’t use diacetyl or 2,3-pentandione, this raises an important question: What chemicals are they using as flavorings? “, asks Professor Joseph Allen, lead author of the study. And above all, are they harmful to health? Remember that the smoke from a classic cigarette also paralyzes the bronchial cilia, making it more difficult for the lungs to expel mucus.
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