title: Sensitivity of young rats to nicotine exposure: Physiological and biochemical parameters.
abstract: This work has investigated the effects of prolonged exposure of young rats to nicotine on some physiological and biochemical parameters. Wistar male rats (30 days old) were treated (s.c.) with saline or nicotine 5mg/kg/day for 28 or 56 days. They received five injections (1mg/kg) per day (8, 10, 12:00 a.m., 2 and 4:00 p.m.) on the dark period of the cycle. Nicotine exposure for 56 days reduced body and liver weights. Moreover, nicotine exposure for 28 or 56 days decreased the hepatic glycogen but not blood glucose levels. The activities of blood and hepatic PBG-synthase, and blood and cerebral acetylcholinesterase were not affected by in vivo exposure. However, these activities were inhibited by nicotine in vitro. Results show that although high levels of plasma cotinine were found in both intervals of exposures, the parameters here analyzed were not affected by prolonged nicotine exposure except the storage of glucose, and body and liver weights.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Brazil.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jósê
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Brazil.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Franciscato
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sônego
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Brazil.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figueiró
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Farmácia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: F V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Thiesen
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, CSS, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Brazil; Departamento de Química, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: pereirame@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D009538:Nicotine; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D003367:Cotinine