Evaluation of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities in buccal cells of tobacco chewers

Genotoxic substances i.e. chemicals, mutagens and radiations are those substances which are toxic to the genetic material. Damage to the genetic material can be assessed in number of ways by studying chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and other nuclear aberrations like micronuclei, binucleated cells etc. Present research was conducted on 10 tobacco chewers. Slides were prepared from their buccal mucosal cells by cell suspension technique. Cells were spread on slide and stained with May Grunwald stain followed by Giemsa stain. Standard slides were examined under trinocular Zeiss microscope at 800 X-magnification. 500 cells were examined for each 10 tobacco chewers. Slides shows Binucleated cells (BN), Micronucleated cells (MN) and Karyolytic cells. Study concludes that age, duration of exposure and other addictions like smoking and intake of alcohol affects the frequencies of nuclear abnormalities. Duration of exposure significantly affects BN frequency but not MN frequency. The mean values for MN cells were not different but for BN cells they were different among two age groups taken.