‘Toxicological Studies of Drugs of Abuse: Sub-Chronic and Chronic Toxicity Study of Benzocaine-Caffeine Combination’

Drug abuse and drug dependence causes drastic medical complications in the body that needs to be averted. New psychoactive drug combinations are emerging globally; pose a severe threat to mankind. An abused formulation sold online under tradename ‘Magic’, was confirmed to containBenzocaine & Caffeine by GC-MS study. In purview of the OECD guidelines, the assessment of sub-chronic& chronic toxicities of benzocaine and caffeine in combination was accomplished in three treatment groups at dosage regimens oftherapeutic dose (TD), Enhancing dose (Enh D) and 5-times therapeutic dose (5X TD). The assessment of toxicity of study drug combination in all the dosage regimens was evaluated in four aspects Gross Behaviour, Haemotology, Clinical Biochemistry & Histopathological studies with respect to Control. After 180 days of treatment, TD and Enh D regimens of benzocaine and caffeine combination enhanced the body weight in male animals. Treatment with TD and Enh D regimens for 90 and 180 days increased the WBC counts, MCV, RDW only. Increase in the levels of SGPT, SGOT, ALP is indicative of hepatic damage and biliary obstruction. Treatment with Enh D and 5X TD arrested the maturation of testis leading to hypo-spermatogenesis is due to increased testosterone level.