Cytotoxicity of flavorings in electronic cigarettes and conventional tobacco

Abstract

The massive introduction of electronic cigarettes has generated a false perception of safety compared to
traditional tobacco consumption, representing a current public health issue due to exposure to chemical
additives. The general objective of this literature review is to exhaustively analyze the cytotoxicity of
flavorings and their thermal degradation products in electronic cigarettes, comparing their effects with
those of conventional tobacco. The methodology developed consisted of a narrative review by searching
for recent scientific articles in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect.
The main results show that heating e-liquids alters their chemical composition, generating toxic carbonyl
compounds and metallic particles. Flavoring substances such as diacetyl and menthol induce oxidative
stress, direct cellular damage, pulmonary inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. The impact of these
findings emphasizes that, although electronic cigarettes lack tar, they present pathological risks with distinct
toxicological profiles, debunking the complete harmlessness of vaping. The most relevant conclusions
establish that electronic cigarettes generate significant adverse effects on respiratory and cardiovascular
health, thus requiring more long-term research and rigorous prevention strategies.