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ADMINISTRATION OF METHAMPHETAMINE AFFECTS SERUM LEVELS OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN RATS
Author(s) -
Kukacka Jiri,
Vajtr David,
Bibova Jana,
Santorova Pavlina,
Kotaska Karel,
Prusa Richard
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a195-c
Subject(s) - selenium , methamphetamine , neurotoxicity , chemistry , zinc , neurotoxin , saline , antioxidant , endocrinology , medicine , dopaminergic , oxidative stress , reactive oxygen species , toxicity , pharmacology , dopamine , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Methamphetamine (MA) is a well‐known street drug of abuse and neurotoxin that may cause long‐lasting changes in the dopaminergic pathways of central nervous system. The formation of toxic reactive oxygen species has been implicated in MA‐neurotoxicity. Trace elements are structural or regulatory components of many enzymes and proteins acting in antioxidant system. Their status can by attenuated by oxygen species generated during MA administration. In this study, MA (1 mg/kg/day) was subcutaneously injected into male Wistar rats (n = 24) for 8 weeks. Normal saline was similarly injected for the same period to control group (n= 16). The rats were locally bred and maintained on the standard laboratory pellet diet. All rats were anesthetized and samples of blood were collected directly from the heart. We determined manganese and selenium using GF‐AAS and copper and zinc using flame AAS in serum of rats. The body weight of animals after 8 weeks of MA administration decreased from 490±44.9 g (mean±SD) to 447± 31.5 g. Serum manganese levels were 3.6±1.18 μg/L in the control and 2.9±0.74 μg/L in the experimental group. Selenium level showed a significant decrease in the MA rats from mean control level of 367±22.9 μg/L to 330±34.8 μg/L. The admistration of MA reduced zinc concentration from 20.1±2.21 mmol/L to 17.6±mmol/L in serum of rats but increased copper concentration from 14.8± 2.25mmol/L to 17.5± 2.65mmol/L. MA toxicity is probably attenuated by antioxidant system in which some trace elements play important role. Thus, their consumption in organism during MA administration is elevated. On the contrary, increased copper level in MA group can be attributed to the more cellular damage accompanied with MA intake.