The use of tobacco and its products are known to cause many illnesses including cancer. A smokeless tobacco locally manufactured called tuibur (tobacco brew) has been consumed by the Mizos from a very long time. In this experiment we aim to determine the cytotoxicity of tuibur by an in vitro study on tuibur-treated human peripheral blood lymphocytes. We have found that 24 h treatment of human lymphocytes with two grades of commercial tuibur and nicotine showed a concentration dependent decrease in cell viability. We, therefore, concluded that as the in vitro use of tuibur has an adverse effect on cell survival, its consumption might have potential side effects on the health of the users.

The present study was performed to obtain an insight into the biochemical profile of Dalton's lymphoma ascites tumour bearing Swiss albino mice treated with aqueous extract of Helicia nilagirica. The mice bearing Dalton's lymphoma ascites tumor was injected with 175mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract of H. nilagirica for nine consecutive days. Thereafter, the tumour cells were aspirated at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24h post drug treatment for the estimation of glutathione, glutathione-s-transferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and lipid peroxidation. The administration of tumorized mice with H. nilagirica aqueous extract caused a significant depletion in the glutathione contents and activities of glutathione-stransferase, catalase, superoxide dismutase in a time dependent manner up to 24 h post assay time, when compared to sterile physiological saline treated group. In contrast, treatment of tumorized mice with H. nilagirica aqueous extract resulted in a time dependent rise in the lipid peroxidation when compared to sterile physiological saline treated group. Our study demonstrates that the cytotoxic effect of H. nilagirica aqueous extract on Dalton's lymphoma ascites tumour cells may be due to increased lipid peroxidation and reduction in the glutathione contents, activities of glutathione-s-transferase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase.

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