Effect of copper status on acute toxicity of cocaine in rats

Journal Article · Wed Feb 08 23:00:00 EST 1989 · FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (USA)

OSTI ID:6832895

Smith, J C; Reddy, P P; Seung, S K; Combs, G F; Dulin, A M; Danford, D E ^[1]

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1. Dept. of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD (USA)

Both copper (Cu) nutriture and cocaine (Coc) ingestion have been shown to affect cardiovascular integrity. Therefore, the purpose of these studies was to determine if Cu status affects the acute toxicity of Coc. 20 weanling male rats (45 {plus minus} 5 g) were randomly assigned to 2 groups, 1 fed a copper deficient (CuD) (<1ppmCu) and the other a copper supplemented (CuS) diet (ca.6ppm, Cu). After 7 wks, the rats, paired for Cu status, were injected (ip) with Coc-HCl at reported LD{sub 50} doses ranging from 80-90 mg/kg bw. The CuD was established by cardiac hypertrophy, depressed hematocrit, lowered serum, liver and heart Cu compared to the CuS controls. The acute toxicity resulted in tachycardia and hyperactivity followed by ataxia with isolated muscle twitchings and violent grand-mal type seizures. For those animals that died, death was apparently due to respiratory arrest followed by ventricular fibrillation; animals that survived were killed by exsanguination. The severity of toxicity was greater for the CuD rats as evidenced by 100% exhibiting seizures compared to 80% for the CuS group. In addition, the incidence of death was 60% for the CuD group compared to 20% for the CuS rats. Although these results suggest that CuD exacerbates the toxic effects of Coc, it is not established that the effects are specific for this essential nutrient.

• OSTI ID: 6832895
• Journal Information: FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (USA), Journal Name: FASEB Journal (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology); (USA) Vol. 3:3; ISSN FAJOE; ISSN 0892-6638
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALKALOIDS
ANESTHETICS
ANIMALS
ANTIDEPRESSANTS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS
COCAINE
COPPER
DIET
DRUGS
ELEMENTS
HEART
HYPERTROPHY
MAMMALS
METALS
MORTALITY
NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS
RATS
RODENTS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VERTEBRATES