Gingko biloba extract and cobalt porphyrin additive to remove harmful components from cigarette smoke and reduce its toxicity

Cigarette filters were modified with a combination of gingko biloba extract and cobalt porphyrin (CGC) to remove harmful components from the cigarette smoke and reduce its toxicity. Smoke analysis results indicated that CGC eliminated up to 32% of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 52% of N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), 46% of N-nitrosoanabasine (NAB), 35% of 4-(methylnitrosamine)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), 31% of N-nitrosoanatabine (NAT), 30% of gas-phase free radicals, and 33% of solid-phase free radicals. Biological experiments, including the Ames test, neutral red cytotoxicity assay and chronic toxicity, were conducted for both CGC cigarettes and control cigarettes. Results showed that the toxicity of the CGC cigarettes was lower than those of the control cigarettes. The mechanism by which the CGC components could remove harmful components from cigarette smoke is discussed.