Status of Total Antioxidant Capacity and Malondialdehyde Level in Methamphetamine Addicts: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Methamphetamine (MA) is an illegal amphetamine-like which stimulate the central nervous system. In recent years, MA has been widely abused worldwide. Previous studies have suggested that oxidative stress (OS) plays an important role in MA-induced toxicity. From this view, antioxidant therapy could be considered as a potential drug therapy in MA abusers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate OS status in MA abusers.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 21 MA abusers who referred to Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies and Congress 60 Humane Revivification Society, and 15 healthy males as a control group. The demographic data and peripheral blood sampling was obtained from both groups. The serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level as a marker of plasma lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of plasma were analyzed.Results: Significant decrease in plasma TAC in case group was observed (101.85±12.5 vs. 130.7±16.12 mmol/L). No significant increase in MDA serum level was detected in case group in comparison with control (27.35±2.6 vs. 26.67±2.22 µmol/L, respectively). Neither the serum MDA levels nor the plasma TAC were significantly correlated with the duration and amount of MA abuse.Conclusion: It seems that, MA abuse is associated with prooxidant-antioxidant imbalance, which suggests evaluation the role of antioxidants administration for the prevention and treatment of MA-induced toxicity.