EFFECT OF ALCOHOL AND OR COCAINE ON BLOOD GLUTATHIONE AND THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE LIVER OF PREGNANT CF-1 MICE/

Alcohol and cocaine are abused by the general population as well as by pregnant women. Since alcohol and cocaine are hepatotoxic, pregnant m ice were used to study the effect of alcohol and/or cocaine on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and on li ver ultrastructure. Also, blood glutathione (GSH) and GSH related enzy mes such as glutathione reductase (GSH-Rx) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were studied. The mice were treated with 0.6 g/kg ethanol twi ce daily via gavage and/or 20 mg/kg of cocaine hydrochloride intraveno usly once daily. The treatment was from day 6 to 15 of gestation and t hese studies were performed at day 18. Our results indicated a signifi cant increase in AST level after treatment with ethanol alone or in co mbination with cocaine. The blood GSH levels decreased significantly i n all the treated groups compared to the control. The activity of GSH- Px was significantly decreased only in the ethanol and cocaine combina tion group compared to the control. Histopathological studies indicate d that co-administration of ethanol and cocaine lead to a significant potentiation in liver toxicity as indicated by increased fatty infiltr ation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.