Background: A number of neuroimaging studies on human addicts have revealed that abuse of Methamphetamine (METH) can induce neurodegenerative changes in various brain regions like the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Although the underlying mechanisms of METH-induced neurotoxicity have been studied, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of METH-induced neurotoxicity remain to be clarified. Previ...

We have previously demonstrated that adoptive transfer of alveolar macrophages from allergy-resistant rats to alveolar macrophage-depleted allergic rats prevents airway hyperresponsiveness development, suggesting an important role for alveolar macrophages in asthma pathogenesis. Given that ovalbumin sensitization can modulate alveolar macrophage cytokine production, we investigated the role of ...

Repeated high-dose injections of methamphetamine (METH) rapidly decrease dopamine uptake by the vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2) associated with dopaminergic nerve terminals, as assessed in nonmembrane-associated vesicles purified from striata of treated rats. The purpose of this study was to determine whether METH similarly affects vesicular uptake in the hippocampus; a region innerv...

In this study, we investigated methamphetamine (METH)- induced peroxidative DNA damage in various regions of the rat brain. We injected METH to rats following 2 protocols. For the single administration experiment (group I), 50 mg/kg (i. p.) of METH was administered to observe the acute influence of METH. For the repeated administration experiment (group II), 10 mg/kg/day (i. p.) of METH was inj...

Single large doses of methamphetamine (METH) cause endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and mitochondrial dysfunctions in rodent striata. The dopamine D(1) receptor appears to be involved in these METH-mediated stresses. The purpose of this study was to investigate if dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors are involved in ER and mitochondrial stresses caused by single-day METH binges in the rat striatum...

Effects of intra-central amygdala administration of L-arginine, a nitric oxide precursor, and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl-ester (L NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, on the morphine-induced sensitization and also on the expression of morphine-induced place conditioning in rats were studied. Subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of morphine (2.5, 5 and 7.5 mg/kg) induced place conditioning. R...

In recent years, abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) has become a severe problem to the whole world, and methamphetamine (METH) has accounted for the majority percent of global ATS seizures. It has been confirmed that the changes of histone acetylation involve in the regulation of METH addiction [1]; however, the effects of METH on histone deacetylase (HDAC) are poorly understood. Behavi...

Prenatal exposure to methamphetamine (METH) increases nociceptive sensitivity in adult rats. As the strong analgesics have high abuse potential and drugs of abuse are known to have analgesic properties, the aim was to study analgesic effect of different psychostimulants in control and prenatally METH-exposed rats. Latencies of withdrawal reflexes of hind limbs and the tail on thermal nociceptiv...

Combined use of an opioid with a psychostimulant is popular among drug abusers. Such “polydrug use” may increase drug effects or attenuate adverse effects of either drug alone. We proposed that a combination of methamphetamine (meth) and morphine may change physical opioid withdrawal symptoms. Adult male rats were chronically injected with cumulative subcutaneous (s.c.) doses of morphine, meth ...

Objective(s): Human and animal studies have shown a close relationship between obesity and asthma severity. Here, we examined the effects of diet-induced obesity (DIO) on the expression levels of IL-1β, IRAK-1 and TRAF-6 mRNA in male Wistar rats tracheal after sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). Materials and Methods:Twenty male Wistar rats divided to four groups, included, control group with ...