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The Roles of Melatonin and Vitamin E Plus Selenium in Prevention of Oxidative Stress Induced by Naloxone-Precipitated Withdrawal in Heroin-Addicted Rats

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Abstract

The therapeutic effects of melatonin or vitamin E plus Se (vE + Se) on the restrain of the heroin withdrawal-induced oxidative stress were studied. For this, rats were divided into ten groups. The rats were injected by fixed or variable doses of heroin for 16 consecutive days, and naloxone was given 1 h after the last heroin injection. One hour after naloxone administration, some groups were treated with melatonin or vE + Se. After 1 h this, blood samples were taken, and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) in whole blood, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, retinol, β-carotene, nitrite, nitrate, and ceruloplasmin levels in the serum were measured. Our findings showed that, naloxone administration precipitated the heroin withdrawal. This also increased the level of MDA and decreased the levels of GSH in blood. Melatonin or vE + Se administration prevented the rise in MDA levels and increased the GSH levels. On the other hand, there were some significant differences between α-tocopherol, retinol, β-carotene, nitrite, nitrate, and ceruloplasmin levels of experimental groups. Results of present study showed that heroin withdrawal increased the lipid peroxidation and depressed endogenous antioxidative systems. Additionally, melatonin or vE + Se administrations prevented lipid peroxidation and augmented endogenous antioxidant defense systems.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by TÜBİTAK (grant no: 105T198). The authors thank to Turkish Grain Board General Directorate, Opium & Alkaloids Affairs Department (Ankara, Turkey) for valuable assistance in providing of heroin, and Ertan Seven and Taner Bora (from General Directorate of Security, The Department of Criminal Police Laboratories, Ankara, Turkey) for valuable assistance in content analysis of heroin. Our special thanks also due to Dr H Shazly (Swansea, UK) for editing the paper’s English.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Science and Arts, Department of Chemistry (Biochemistry Division), Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

    Mustafa Cemek & Ömer Hazman

  2. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Ali Çetinkaya Kampüsü, İzmir yolu 9. km, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

    Mehmet Emin Büyükokuroğlu

  3. Faculty of Science and Arts, Department of Biology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

    Muhsin Konuk & Sait Bulut

  4. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey

    Yavuz Osman Birdane

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  1. Mustafa Cemek
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  2. Mehmet Emin Büyükokuroğlu
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Correspondence to Mehmet Emin Büyükokuroğlu.

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Cemek, M., Büyükokuroğlu, M.E., Hazman, Ö. et al. The Roles of Melatonin and Vitamin E Plus Selenium in Prevention of Oxidative Stress Induced by Naloxone-Precipitated Withdrawal in Heroin-Addicted Rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 142, 55–66 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8744-8

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