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NEW RESEARCH FINDS CIGARETTE FILTERS CONTAINING AN
ANTIOXIDANT COMPLEX REDUCES THE HEALTH RISKS OF SMOKING
Research Presented At Annual Meeting of American Association for the Advancement of Science

ATLANTA, GA, MAY 28, 2002 – According to independent research presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), cigarette filters containing a patented antioxidant complex (the Thione Complex™) significantly reduces the toxicity of cigarette smoke. Presented by Dr. Theodore Hersh, Chairman of Thione International, Inc. and Professor of Medicine, Emeritus at Emory University, the research found that cigarette smoke passing through treated filters was less harmful to cultures of human cells than smoke passing through untreated filters.

The research, conducted by the world-renowned Technion Institute, placed cigarette smoke from test and control cigarettes on a cell line of fetal fibroblasts. After a 24-hour period, cells exposed to the control cigarettes exhibited a 60% viability; while the viability of those exposed to the Thione Complex™-treated smoke was 95%. Additionally, when human lymphocytes were exposed, the survival rate was only 40% with the control smoke compared to 82% with the Thione Complex™ smoke.

“The healthiest thing for any smoker is to quit,” commented Dr. Hersh. “Unfortunately, for many that task is too overwhelming, leaving the next best option: to reduce the health risks of smoking as much as possible. That is what makes these findings so important – if we can help those people who can’t quit smoking lead healthier lives and reduce the risk of disease, all the years in the lab will have been well worth it.”

The Thione Complex™ consists of specific antioxidants working synergistically to improve the body’s ability to protect and repair itself from the ravages of free radicals. Free radicals are triggered by excess sun exposure, smoking, environmental pollutants and alcohol consumption to name a few.

“Our patented complex was initially introduced into healthcare products to help fight illnesses such as gum disease and psoriasis,” said Daniel McNamara, Thione’s CEO. “When we saw the tremendous affect it had, our next thought was to find out if it would fight the free radical damage caused by smoking.”

“After testing showed that our Complex didn’t impact the taste or draw of a cigarette, we knew we had a breakthrough idea,” continued McNamara. “We’re looking forward to working with tobacco companies worldwide to bring this to market.”

Chemicals in cigarette smoke depress the body’s ability to ward off free radicals, leading to a number of diseases such as atherosclerosis, chronic lung disease and cancer, etc. Thione’s antioxidant compound found inside the filter absorbs many of these chemicals and decreases the harmful effects of free radicals.

About Thione International, Inc.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Thione International, Inc. was founded in 1995 by Dr. Theodore Hersh with the mission of developing preventative and therapeutic healthcare and consumer products. Drawing upon thirty years of clinical and research experience with the human body’s antioxidant defense system, Dr. Hersh created his patented Thione Complex which he has incorporated into a number of diverse applications such as cosmetic, radiotherapy, skin care, dermatology, pain-relief, oral hygiene and nutritional supplement products. Currently the company holds 16 patents on various applications of the Complex. All Thione products are doctor developed, clinically tested and patented.

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Dr. Hersh and Dan McNamara are available for interview.