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Updated: Apr 13, 2026
Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Cocaine exposure alters H2S tissue concentrations in peripheral mouse organs
Małgorzata Frankowska1, Bogdan Wiliński2, Eugeniusz Somogyi3
1Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland.
Background:
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is well-known as a physiological mediator in the mammalian brain and peripheral tissues. Among several factors that change the concentration of H2S, oxidative stress and generation of reactive oxygen species, which accompany neurochemical actions of drugs of abuse, are of recent interest.
Objective:
Limited data on the connection of cocaine and H2S levels prompted us to investigate the effect of this psychostimulant on the H2S concentration in the mouse brain and peripheral organs.
Methods:
Male BALB/C mice were given several cocaine dosage and treatment regimens, and the free and acid-labile H2S tissue concentrations were determined with a modified spectrophotometric method of Siegel.
Results:
We demonstrated the dose- and treatment-dependent decreases in the H2S level in the heart (83% of control level), and in the liver and kidney (17-34% of control levels) homogenates, but no changes were seen in the mouse brain. The strongest effect occurred after repeated administration of cocaine (20mg/kg) in all peripheral tissues.
Conclusion:
A reduction in the peripheral tissue H2S level in the heart, liver and kidney homogenates after repeated injections of cocaine may be the result of a strong toxic effect of the drug.
