Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Laurentino, Ana Olívia Martins
• Solómon, Janaína
• Tonietto, Bruna Ducatti
• Cestonaro, Larissa Vivan
• dos Santos, Nícolas Guimarães
• Piton, Yasmin Vendruscolo
• Izolan, Lucas
• Marques, Douglas
• Costa-Valle, Marina Tuerlinckx
• Garcia, Solange Cristina
• Sebben, Viviane
• Dallegrave, Eliane
• Schaefer, Pedro Guilherme
• Barros, Elvino José
• Arbo, Marcelo Dutra
• Leal, Mirna Bainy

Titel

Levamisole, a cocaine cutting agent, induces acute and subchronic systemic alterations in Wistar rats

Ist Teil von

• Toxicology and applied pharmacology, 2021-09, Vol.426, p.115649, Article 115649

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The use of the anthelmintic levamisole as a cocaine adulterant has been increasing worldwide. Complications caused by this association include systemic vasculitis, agranulocytosis, neutropenia, tissue necrosis, pulmonary hemorrhage, and renal injury. Data about toxicity of levamisole are scarce, therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the acute and subchronic toxic effects of levamisole in rats. Male Wistar rats received saline or levamisole by intraperitoneal route at the doses of 12, 24 and 36 mg/kg in the acute toxicity test; and at 3, 6 and 12 mg/kg in the subchronic toxicity test. Toxicity was evaluated using behavioral, cognitive, renal, hematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters. Acute administration of levamisole caused behavioral and histopathological alterations. Subchronic administration caused behavioral, cognitive and hematological alterations (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.05, respectively), impairment of liver and kidney functions (p < 0.05), and changes of antioxidant defenses (p ≤ 0.0001). Both administrations produced toxic effects of clinical relevance, which make levamisole a dangerous cutting agent. Furthermore, the knowledge of these effects can contribute to the correct diagnosis and treatment of cocaine dependents with unusual systemic alterations. •The use of levamisole as a cocaine adulterant increased worldwide.•Several complications are associated with the concomitant use of these substances.•Data about the toxicology of levamisole are scarce.•Acute and subchronic administration of levamisole can cause toxic effects in rats.