Abstract:
Amphetamines are indirect sympathomimetic amines with
potent stimulant action on central nervous system. These
compounds produce tolerance and dependence. Full exploitation
of amphetamine toxicity in man and animal is still lacking.
Therefore, this study was carriedout to investigate some of the
pharmacotoxicity of amphetamine in rats. Administration of
8mg/kg of amphetamine sulphate orally to rats for a month
produced signs of restlessness and hyperexcitability and caused
decreased activity of liver glutamic oxaloacetate and pyruvic
oxaloacetate transaminases compared to controls. Marginal
effects were observed in haematological and serobiochernical
parameters. Amphetamine given for 60 days to rats significantly
cused decreased activity of marker testicular enzyme such as
sorbitol dehydrogenase and acid phosphatase but the activity of
testicular lactic dehydrogenase, gamma-glutamyl trans peptidase
and beta glucurinidase were significantly increased. A decrease
in epididymal sperm count and motility and increased in
percentage spermatozoa abnormality was also noticed. Further,
daily intraperitoneal administration of d-amphetamine sulphate
at a dose of 8 mg/kg, body weight to rats during 6-15 days of
gestation has resulted in significant effect on sensory and motor
reflexes of their pups. These pups have shown increased righting
and rotating reflexes and cliff avoidance activity. Significant
increase in brain norademaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine and
decrease in monoamine oxidase activity was observed in these
pups and their mothers compared to their control counterparts.
These results show that the amphetamine was toxic to rats at the
dose of 8mg/kg producing mild, hepatotoxicity, testicular
atrophy indicated in decreased sperm count and sperm
abnormalities, increased brain catecholamine that was associated
with hyperexcitability and causing disturbed behavioural
activity in the neonates.