Effects of low-dose morphine suppress methamphetamine-induced cell death by inhibiting the ROS generation and...

Methamphetamine in low doses can increase vigilance and power and at high doses has destructive effects that cause toxicity and death of various cell lines and affect the central nervous system. Morphine has also protective properties, which were observed in low concentrations, for nerve cells and also seem to have the ability to reduce cell death in neural cell lines.

In this study, we used PC12 and U87 cell lines, which grew in DMEM culture media. Assays used in this study are listed below: MTT test for cell viability detection, LDH test for cytotoxicity measurement, caspase activity colorimetric assay kit (Bio-techne) for caspase 3 activity diagnosis, Rhodamine 123 for Detection of mitochondrial membrane potential. TUNNEL test for DNA fragmentation, fura-2 for Measurement of (Ca2+) ic and (Ca2+) m. fluorescence microscope for measurement of antioxidant enzyme activities.

morphine increased cell viability and the rhodamine-123 absorbance. It reduced cell cytotoxicity, caspase 3 activity, ic (et) m Ca2+ concentration, (.OH) generation, and DNA fragmentation in all concentrations of 1 pM t0 100 nM (p < 0.05) by optimal concentration of 1 pM.

morphine as a pain mediator can reduce the methamphetamine-induced cell death, may be due to its anti-inflammatory properties (Fig. 7, Ref. 52).