Original Research Article
Year: 2018 | Month: February | Volume: 8 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 1-6
Evaluation of Serum Lipid Profile in Male Cannabis Smokers of College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria
Okwara John Ekenedilichukwu1, Onoh Joy Obioma2, Ogbodo Emmanuel Chukwuemeka2, Ezeugwunne Ifeoma Priscilla2,3, Emekwue Loveth1, Amah Ubuo Kalu1, Oguaka Victor Nwabunwanne3, Meludu Samuel Chukwuemeka2,3
1Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, 2Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, 3Department of Human Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences,
Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi Campus, Anambra State, Nigeria
Corresponding Author: Ogbodo Emmanuel Chukwuemeka
ABSTRACT
Cannabis is the preferred name of the plant Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. The Cannabis plant is a known potent psychoactive substance. This study investigated the effect of cannabis in the serum lipid profile levels of smokers in apparently healthy male students of College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Nnewi campus, Anambra State, Nigeria. A total of 60 male subjects (40 cannabis smokers and 20 non-cannabis smokers) were recruited for the study. A well-structured questionnaire was used to obtain the demographic and anthropometric data of the subjects. Thereafter, 5mls of fasting blood sample was collected from the subjects and analysed for serum lipid profile (TC, TG, HDL, and LDL) respectively. The result showed no significant differences in the mean serum triglyceride, total cholesterol low density lipoprotein, and high density lipoprotein of cannabis smokers compared to the non- smokers. However, there were significant increase in the mean weight (73.87± 10.83mmol/l vs 67.75 ± 9.66mmol/l; p = 0.037) and body mass index (24.26 ± 3.61mmol/l vs 21.94 ± 2.18mmol/l; p = 0.011) of smokers when compared with non- smokers. This study shows that cannabis smoking may not have negative effect on serum lipid profile values.
Key words: Serum Lipid Profile, Male Cannabis Smokers, Nnewi Campus, Weight, Body Mass Index.