Methamphetamine selectively alters brain glutathione

As methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity has been proposed to involve oxida tive stress, reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG, respectively), vitamin E and ascorbate were measured in the striata of rats killed 2 or 2 4 h after a neurotoxic regimen of methamphetamine. At 2 h, methamphetamine increased GSH and GSSG (32.5% and 43.7%, respectively) compared to controls at 2 h. No difference was seen in glutathione at 24 h, and in vitamin E an d ascorbate at either time point. These findings indicate selectivity of me thamphetamine for the glutathione system and a role for methamphetamine in inducing oxidative stress. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.