Preliminary analysis of oxidative stress parameters in Lister Hooded rats after an acute oral treatment with 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine

The correlation between the toxicity of some common amphetamines and oxidative stress is well documented. In this study 2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine (2,5-DMA), a widely diffused designer drug with hallucinogenic properties, was investigated for its capacity to induce oxidative stress in rats after an acute oral treatment. The assessed parameters were: reduced glutathione (GSH) as a cellular antioxidant, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) as biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) in plasma, liver, testes and kidneys. GSH levels in whole blood and in the organs mentioned above were determined using a mass spectrometer, while all the other parameters were spectrophotometrically assayed. A significant decrease of GSH in liver, an increase of TBARS in plasma, liver and testes, and a simultaneous decrease in the total antioxidant capacity of the plasma were observed. These findings suggest that 2,5-DMA induces an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants leading to an oxidative stress status.