GLUCONEOGENIC ACTIVITY IN RESPONSE TO CHRONIC ADMINISTRATION OF AMPHETAMINE SULFATE AND DRUG-WITHDRAWAL

1. Chronic amphetamine administration (10 mg/kg) to young rats (Rattus norvegius) (40-90 g) produced an initial hyperglycemia following the initial drug administration. This was followed by progressive hypoglyc emia with the continuous drug treatment. 2. The present data also demo nstrate increases in levels of serum ACTH and corticosterone that were maintained after drug withdrawal, in the case of corticosterone. 3. T he Analysis of the transaminase activity revealed the occurrence of si gnificant increases in se rum GOT level. Furthermore, progressive incr ease in the G-6-Pase activity was recorded, reaching its maximum level by the end of the experiment, which demonstrates that induced ampheta mine toxicity is time dependent. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.