Acute crack cocaine exposure induces genetic damage in multiple organs of rats.

Abstract

Crack cocaine is a very toxic product derived from cocaine. The aim of this study was to evaluate genetic damage in multiple organs of rats following acute exposure to crack cocaine. A total of 20 Wistar rats were distributed into four groups (n = 5), as follows: 0, 4.5, 9, and 18mg/kg body weight (b.w.) of crack cocaine administered by intraperitonealroute (i.p.). All animals were killed 24h after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. The results showed that crack cocaine increased the number of micronucleated cells in bone marrow cells exposed to 18mg/kg crack cocaine (p < 0.05). Peripheral blood and liver cells presented genetic damage as depicted by single cell gel (comet) assay at 9 and 18mg/kg doses (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry data revealed significant increase in 8-hydroxy-20-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) immunoexpression in hepatocytes of animals exposed to crack cocaine at 9 and 18mg/kg (p < 0.05) when compared with negative controls. Taken together, our results demonstrate that crack cocaine is able to induce genomic damage in multiple organs of Wistar rats.