British Journal of Pharmacology
June 1, 1997
M. Isabel Colado, Esther O’shea, R Granados et al.
176 citations
High doses of MDMA (ecstasy) given to pregnant rats on days 14–17 of gestation caused a marked hyperthermic response in the mothers, reduced their body weight, and decreased litter size by about 20%. In the mothers' brains, serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-HIAA fell by over 65% in the hippocampus and striatum and by 40% in the cortex one week after birth. However, the brains of the newborn pups showed no such decreases. MDMA also increased lipid peroxidation (TBARS) in the cortex of adult rats but not in 7–10 day old neonates.
British Journal of Pharmacology
July 1, 1997
María Isabel Colado, Esther O’shea, R Granados et al.
175 citations
MDMA (ecstasy) and p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) damage serotonin neurons in rat brain by increasing free radical formation, measured as 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid from salicylic acid via microdialysis in the hippocampus. A single dose of MDMA (15 mg/kg) raised 2,3-DHBA for at least 6 hours and reduced serotonin and its metabolite by over 50% in hippocampus, cortex, and striatum seven days later. PCA (5 mg/kg) also increased 2,3-DHBA. Fenfluramine (15 mg/kg) did not increase free radicals but still caused long-term serotonin loss. Pretreatment with fenfluramine blocked MDMA's free radical rise, indicating radicals originate in serotonin neurons. The free radical scavenger PBN prevented the acute radical increase and attenuated long-term hippocampal damage by 30%. Thus, MDMA and PCA damage serotonin neurons via free radicals, while fenfluramine acts through a different mechanism.
British Journal of Pharmacology
March 1, 1993
María Isabel Colado, Tracey K. Murray, A.r. Green
133 citations
Chlormethiazole and dizocilpine prevent neurotoxicity from MDMA (Ecstasy) but not from PCA or fenfluramine in rat brain. MDMA caused about 30% loss of serotonin and its metabolite in cortex and hippocampus; chlormethiazole given before and after MDMA fully protected both regions, while dizocilpine protected only the hippocampus. A single dose of chlormethiazole 20 minutes after MDMA also fully protected the hippocampus but not the cortex and reduced MDMA-induced hyperthermia (about +2.5°C). PCA caused 70% serotonin loss; neither drug prevented this, even when a lower PCA dose caused only 30% loss. Fenfluramine-induced serotonin loss was also not prevented. Both drugs blocked serotonin-related behaviors from all three toxins. The findings suggest different mechanisms underlie neurotoxicity from these amphetamines, and hyperthermia alone does not account for the damage.