Methamphetamine Toxicity Prevented by Activated Charcoal in a Mouse Model

Abstract

Study objective: To determine the effectiveness of activated charcoal in preventing toxicity from oral methamphetamine HCl. Design: Randomized, prospective, nonblinded, controlled animal study. Setting: Animal care facility. Participants: CD-1 male mice. Interventions: Mice were given 100 mg/kg methamphetamine HCl (lethal dose 60) in water by oral gavage. Within 1 minute of methamphetamine administration, mice received either 1 g/kg activated charcoal or an equivalent volume of water as control. Measurements and main results: Mice were observed for time to onset of symptoms (piloerection, agitation, and tremor) and mortality at 1, 24, and 48 hours. Activated charcoal delayed onset of symptoms (5.53±1.25 minutes versus 4.27±1.22 minutes, P<.002) and decreased mortality compared to controls at 1 hour (1 of 20 versus 10 of 20, P<.003) and 24 hours (five of 20 versus 12 of 20, P<.05). There was no difference between groups in mortality at 48 hours. Conclusion: A single dose of activated charcoal given after oral methamphetamine delayed onset of toxicity and decreased early mortality in mice. There was no effect on overall mortality. [McKinney PE, Tomaszewski C, Phillips S, Brent J, Kulig K: Methamphetamine toxicity prevented by activated charcoal in a mouse model. Ann Emerg Med August 1994;24:220-223.]