Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Paradoxical Effect of Acute Poisoning by Synthetic Psychoactive Substances in Combination with Ethanol

At present, there exists a vital problem of studying pathophysiological mechanisms of acute poisoning and the developing intoxication syndrome caused by taking psychoactive substances by the users, e.g. cathinones, to stimulate pharmacologically the effect of ethyl alcohol. A number of compounds with a narcogenic potential and some medicinal preparations, e.g. imipramine, are referred to the class of synthetic cathinones.

The aim of the investigation was to study the effect of ethyl alcohol on animal behavior and the activity of some enzymes of the liver and the antioxidant system in acute imipramine poisoning.

Materials and Methods. 167 patients of the Toxicological Center with poisoning by synthetic psychoactive substances and ethyl alcohol as well as 70 Wistar rats participated in the study. The animals were divided into 4 groups: those who were injected with physiological solution, imipramine, ethanol, and imipramine in combination with ethanol. Orientation and exploratory behavior of the rats, the activity of the liver and antioxidant system enzymes have been investigated.

Results. It has been established that in acute ethanol and imipramine poisoning, restoration of orientation and exploratory behavior of the rats occurs more rapidly, inhibition of the enzymatic activity of the liver (ethanol dehydrogenase, lactate dehydrogenase) and the antioxidant system is noted but to a less extent than in acute imipramine intoxication.

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Shchelchkova N.А., Larchenko А.V., Razgulin S.А., Mudrova S.А., Suvorov M.А., Kudryavtsev S.А., Lyamkin М.V., Kaurov Ya.V. Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Paradoxical Effect of Acute Poisoning by Synthetic Psychoactive Substances in Combination with Ethanol. Sovremennye tehnologii v medicine 2018; 10(3): 168, https://doi.org/10.17691/stm2018.10.3.21