Tobacco use and commercial variants: Trends in biomarker-based research

Abstract

The health consequences of cigarette smoking and its commercial variants have been extensively investigated for more than three decades. However, despite substantial evidence demonstrating the detrimental effects of tobacco use, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and several types of cancer, the global number of users remains alarmingly high. This scientometric review mapped the scientific literature on the health impacts of cigarettes and commercial tobacco products, focusing on studies employing biomarkers of toxicological effects, including the comet assay, micronucleus test, redox status assessment, and telomere length analysis. Of 1990 retrieved records, 155 articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Redox status assessment and the comet assay were the most frequently applied biomarkers. In vivo studies primarily analyzed blood samples, whereas in vitro investigations exposed diverse cell types to cigarette smoke. Although the adverse effects of conventional cigarettes are well established, the health impacts of alternative products, including e-cigarettes, pods, and vapes, remain insufficiently investigated. This review provides a focused scientometric overview of biomarker-based research on tobacco-related toxicological effects and highlights the need for broader future studies incorporating additional biomarkers, health outcomes, and emerging tobacco and nicotine products.