The effect of nocotiana tabacum (snuff) on blood pressure and pulse rate of Nigerians.

Nutritional and environmental factors are now known to affect the blood pressure and pulse rate of man. The present study investigated the effect of nicotiana tabacum on these parameters. Thirty-three male Nigerians (20-68 years) living in Calabar, Nigeria were used for this study. The subjects were treated at three different periods with snuff containing varied concentrations of Natron (0.5g and 10g/100g of snuff) and their systolic and diastolic pressures as well as pulse rate were measured at intervals of 30 minutes up to a maximum of 90 minutes. Each subject served as his own control. There were significant and time-dependent increases in the parameters measured. In addition, the increases were more marked in the absence of Natron than in its presence.