Cell death and reactive oxygen species production have been suggested to be involved in neurodegeneration induced by the drugs of abuse. In this study we analyze the toxicity of the following drugs of abuse: heroin, morphine, d-amphetamine, and cocaine in undifferentiated PC12 cells, used as dopaminergic neuronal models. Our data show that opioid drugs (heroin and morphine) are more toxic than ...

THE ROLE OF P2X RECEPTORS IN HIV AND OPIATE-RELATED NEUROTOXICITY By: Mary E. Sorrell Ph.D. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014 Major Director: Kurt F. Hauser, Professor, Pharmacology and Toxicology Emerging evidence suggests that opioid drugs can exacerba...

The plant Asparagus racemosus is used traditionally in Kenya for a variety of medicinal purposes including the management pain, asthma, and premature labour. However, dearth empirical studies means that there limited information on acute toxicity pharmacological effects to support these uses by local plant. aim this study was, therefore, evaluate toxicity, analgesic, smooth muscle relaxation aq...

Morphine remains one of the most frequently prescribed drugs for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. However, the long-term use of this excellent pain reliever in clinic is limited by sideeffects that include analgesic tolerance. Increase in dosage results in respiratory depression, and the potential for drug abuse. Unfortunately, the exact mechanism of opioids resulting in the neuropatho...

Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1 who abuse opiates can have a higher incidence of virus-associated neuropathology. Human immunodeficiency virus does not infect neurons, but viral proteins such as transactivator of transcription and glycoprotein 120, originating from infected glia, are neurotoxic. Moreover, functional changes in glial cells that enhance inflammation and r...

BACKGROUND To investigate clinical variables such as gestational age, sex, weight, the therapeutic regimens used and mechanical ventilation that might affect morphine requirements and plasma concentrations of morphine and its metabolites. METHODS In a double-blind study, neonates and infants stratified for age [group I 0-4 weeks (neonates), group II > or =4-26 weeks, group III > or =26-52 wee...

This article reviews the literature pertaining to the metabolism of several of the commonly used opioids, and the known activity of their metabolites. The effect of renal failure on the pharmacokinetics of these drugs and metabolites is then reviewed. Finally, the effect of renal dialysis on opioid drugs and metabolites is reviewed. Based on the review, it is recommended that morphine and codei...

A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of heroin and its major metabolites 6-acetylmorphine, morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide and morphine-6-glucuronide in blood and brain tissue, using 0.1-mL samples. We evaluated this method for analysis of heroin and its metabolites in samples from heroin treated mi...

Previous work has shown that chronic opiate administration regulates protein components of the cAMP signaling pathway, specifically in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain region implicated in the reinforcing properties of opiates, and that such adaptations may contribute to changes in reinforcement mechanisms that characterize opiate addiction. In the present study, we examined a possible role...