Primary studies on heroin abuse and injury induced by oxidation and lipoperoxidation

Objective To further reveal serious risks of heroin abuse to human body and clarify grave injuries of oxidation, peroxidation and lipoperoxidation ind uced by nitric oxide and other free radicals to heroin abusers. Methods Determined and compared plasma levels of nitric oxide (P-NO), vitam in C (P-VC), vitamin E (P-VE), beta -carotene (P-beta -CAR), lipoperoxides (P-LPO) and erythrocyte activities of superoxide dismutase (E-SOD), catalas e (E-CAT), glutathione peroxidase (E-GSH-Px) and erythrocyte level of lipop eroxides (E-LPO) in 137 cases of heroin abusers (HAs) and 100 cases of heal thy volunteers (HVs), used linear regression and correlation, stepwise regr ession and correlation to analyze correlation among heroin-abusing-duration (HAD), daily-heroin-abusing-quantity (DHAQ) with above determination value s in the HAs. Results Compared with the above average values in the HVs group, the averag e values of P-NO, P-LPO, E-LPO in the HAs group were significantly increase d (P < 0.0001): the average values of P-VC, P-VE, P-<beta>-CAR, E-SOD, E-CA T and E-GSH-Px were significantly decreased (P < 0.0001); the analysis of l inear regression and correlation showed that with ascending of the HAD and DHAQ in the HAs, the values of P-NO, P-LPO, E-LPO were gradually increased (P < 0.0001), the values of P-VC, P-VE, P-beta -CAR, E-SOD, E-CAT, E-GSH-Px were gradually decreased (P < 0.0001); the analysis of stepwise regression and correlation suggested that the correlation among the HAD, DHAQ with th e values of P-NO, P-VC, P-VE was the closest. Conclusion The balance between oxidation and antioxidation in the HAs was s eriously destroyed, and the injuries induced by nitric oxide and other free radicals, oxidation, peroxidation and lipoperoxidation reactions to the bo dy of HAs gravely exacerbated. In the abstaining from heroin dependence, th erefore, it should consider,that sufficient quantum antioxidants such as VC , VE and <beta>-CAR are dosed to the HAs so as to abate the injuries to the ir bodies.