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. 2010 Dec;19(12):3013-9.
doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-10-0706. Epub 2010 Oct 20.

Urine menthol as a biomarker of mentholated cigarette smoking

Neal L Benowitz  1 , Katherine M Dains, Delia Dempsey, Christopher Havel, Margaret Wilson, Peyton Jacob 3rd
Affiliations

Urine menthol as a biomarker of mentholated cigarette smoking

Neal L Benowitz et al. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: Menthol cigarettes are smoked by 27% of U.S. smokers, and there are concerns that menthol might enhance toxicity of cigarette smoking by increasing systemic absorption of smoke toxins. We measured urine menthol concentrations in relation to biomarkers of exposure to nicotine and tobacco carcinogens.

Methods: Concentrations of menthol glucuronide (using a novel analytical method), nicotine plus metabolites (nicotine equivalents, NE), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites were measured in the urine of 60 menthol and 67 regular cigarette smokers.

Results: Urine menthol was measurable in 82% of menthol and 54% in regular cigarette smokers. Among menthol smokers, urine menthol was highly correlated with NE, NNAL, and PAHs. In a multiple regression model NE but not menthol was significantly associated with NNAL and PAHs.

Conclusions: Urine menthol concentration is a novel biomarker of exposure in menthol cigarette smokers, and is highly correlated with exposure to nicotine and carcinogens. Menthol is not independently associated with carcinogen exposure when nicotine intake is considered.

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Conflict of interest statement

Drs Dains, Dempsey, Jacob, Mr Havel and Ms Wilson have no potential conflicts to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Frequency histogram of urine menthol concentration in smokers of menthol and regular cigarettes. Subjects whose urine concentrations were below the assay limit of quantitation are include in the 0–5 μg/mg creat bar.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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