title: N-acetylcysteine amide protects against methamphetamine-induced tissue damage in CD-1 mice.
abstract: Methamphetamine (METH), a highly addictive drug used worldwide, induces oxidative stress in various animal organs, especially the brain. This study evaluated oxidative damage caused by METH to tissues in CD-1 mice and identified a therapeutic drug that could protect against METH-induced toxicity. Male CD-1 mice were pretreated with a novel thiol antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA, 250 mg/kg body weight) or saline. Following this, METH (10 mg/kg body weight) or saline intraperitoneal injections were administered every 2 h over an 8-h period. Animals were killed 24 h after the last exposure. NACA-treated animals exposed to METH experienced significantly lower oxidative stress in their kidneys, livers, and brains than the untreated group, as indicated by their levels of glutathione, malondialdehyde, and protein carbonyl and their catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity. This suggests that METH induces oxidative stress in various organs and that a combination of NACA as a neuro- or tissue-protective agent, in conjunction with current treatment, might effectively treat METH abusers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO 65409, USA.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tobwala
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ercal
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000633:toxicity*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D050050:Protein Carbonylation
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine; C487056:N-Acetylcysteinamide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005978:Glutathione; D000111:Acetylcysteine