%0 Journal Article %T Activities of Alpha Amylase in Serum and Saliva of Some Nigerian Cigarette Smokers %J Advances in Life Sciences %@ 2163-1395 %D 2012 %I %R 10.5923/j.als.20120201.04 %X This study reports the effect of cigarette smoking on serum and salivary -amylase activities of some consenting Nigerian male smokers (20) in apparent good health and between 30 to 70 years. Age and sex-matched non-smokers (20) were included as control subjects. Alpha amylase activity was assayed using standard colorimetric method. Results obtained show that the mean ¦Á-amylase activity in serum and saliva were significantly higher (P<0.05) in smokers (131.2 ¡À 17.0 IU/L and 241.8 ¡À 23.6 IU/L) when compared with non-smokers (68.3 ¡À 11.3 IU/L and 133.5 ¡À 8.6 IU/L), and these represent 84.3% and 95.2% increases in serum and saliva values for the smokers relative to the non-smokers. Evidence from this study indicates a measure of pancreatic, salivary and parotid glands¡¯ dysfunction among the cigarette smokers in Nigeria. Measurement of serum and salivary - amylase activity could be useful in the early detection and diagnosis of pancreatitis and parotitis. %K -Amylase %K Saliva %K Cigarette %K Pancreatitis %K SmokersThe mean serum ¨C amylase activity value was higher for the test (smokers) subjects than the control (non-smokers) individuals. This difference was demonstrated to be statistically significant at the 5% probability level using ANOVA. Similarly %K the mean ¨C amylase activity value in the saliva of the control was significantly lower than that of the cigarette smokers.The mean serum ¨C amylase activity values for cigarette smokers were higher than the non-smokers values and these differences were statistically significant (p<0.05).Subjects¡¯ age did not significantly influence serum ¨C amylase activity values %K but among the smokers %K smoking duration affected values significantly (< %U http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.als.20120201.04.html