ArticlesAcute Toxicity of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in Sprague–Dawley and Dark Agouti Rats
Section snippets
Method
Adult female Sprague–Dawley (weight 230–370 g) and aged matched Dark Agouti (weight 180–240 g) rats were used. They were housed four to a cage in a controlled environment (20–24°C; 12 L: 12 D cycle) during acclimatization, but were singly housed during the experiments to avoid the hyperthermic effect of group housing (6). Standard rat chow and water were available ad lib. All animals were allowed a minimum of 2 weeks to acclimatize to the laboratory. During this time they were handled daily and
Sprague–Dawley
A dose-dependent initial hypothermic response, which occurred in the first 30 min, was observed (Fig. 1A), with the effect of the highest dose (10 mg/kg) of MDMA being significantly different (p < 0.05) from saline. The subsequent increase in temperature was not dose dependent (Fig. 1B). There was no difference (p > 0.05) in the area under the temperature–time curve between any of the doses, including the control (Fig. 2A).
Dark Agouti
There was no dose-dependent initial hypothermic effect (Fig. 1A).
Discussion
We have confirmed the work of others that the acute effects of MDMA in the rat are manifested, in part, by disruption in thermoregulation 5, 7, 8, 13, 25, 26 and increased locomotor activity 7, 8, 16, 34, and that the thermoregulatory changes are exaggerated at higher ambient temperatures 8, 13. All of the previously reported work has been carried out in rat strains other than the female Dark Agouti, except for the work of Colado et al. (5), who compared the effects and disposition of MDMA in
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by a grant-in aid from the Research Review Committee of The Royal Adelaide Hospital.
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