Methamphetamine and lipid peroxidation in the rat retina.
BACKGROUND
The use of psychoactive drugs during adolescence and early adult life has increased in the last few decades. It is known that developmental exposure to psychostimulants affects the sensory systems, and the retina has been shown to be a target tissue. This work was conducted to evaluate the pattern of lipid peroxidation in the rat retina following prenatal exposure to methamphetamine (MA).


METHODS
Pregnant female Wistar rats were given MA (5 mg/kg of body weight/day; SC, in 0.9% saline) from GD 8 to 22. Offspring were sacrificed at postnatal days (PNDs) 7, 14, and 21. The retinas were homogenized, and both the total antioxidant and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured by enzymatic-colorimetric methods. The lipid peroxidation byproducts (malondialdehyde [MDA] and MDA-like metabolites) were measured by the thiobarbituric acid test.


RESULTS
Total antioxidant levels were lower in the MA group at PND 21 in both males and females. The activity of SOD was higher in PND 7 females from the MA group. MDA levels were higher in the MA group at PND 21 in both genders.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that prenatal-induced MA toxicity in the retina may be related to lipid peroxidation processes and oxidative stress.
Melo
Pedro
P
Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal.
Rodrigues
Lorena G
LG
Pinazo-Durán
Maria Dolores
MD
Tavares
Maria Amélia
MA
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D008694:Methamphetamine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase