Depletion of total non-protein sulphydryl groups in mouse tissues after administration of d-amphetamine

A study of total non-protein sulphydryl groups (TNPSH) depletion was performed in male Charles River CD1 mice (25-30 g) isolated or housed in pairs. The mice were injected intraperitoneally with d-amphetamine (5, 20 and 80 mg/kg), kept at 20 +/- 1 degrees C, sacrificed at different times (between 0 and 120 min) and TNPSH in brain, lungs, heart, liver, kidney and spleen was quantified. d-Amphetamine significantly reduced the TNPSH levels in the liver and kidney, the reduction being more pronounced in the latter organ. In the other organs assayed no depletion was observed. Housing in pairs increased depletion of TNPSH both in the liver and in the kidney. The dose of 20 mg/kg caused a higher TNPSH depletion in paired mice than the dose of 80 mg/kg did in isolated mice. Rectal temperatures (RT) were also determined in the different times for the same doses of d-amphetamine. For the two lowest doses temperature values were similar in isolated and paired mice and were inversely proportional to TNPSH depletion in kidney. The administration of 80 mg/kg induced the highest TNPSH depletion in kidney and liver, but the hyperthermic effect was lower than that elicited by 20 mg/kg. No proportion was observed between RT and TNPSH depletion in liver. These results suggest that d-amphetamine changes TNPSH homeostasis in mouse liver by a temperature independent mechanism. In kidney, the hyperthermic effect may have some influence. Housing mice in pairs increases TNPSH depletion, but has no influence in the hyperthermic effect of d-amphetamine, with this experimental protocol.