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Falfushynska H, Rychter P, Boshtova A, Faidiuk Y, Kasianchuk N, Rzymski P. Illicit Drugs in Surface Waters: How to Get Fish off the Addictive Hook. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:537. [PMID: 38675497 PMCID: PMC11054822 DOI: 10.3390/ph17040537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The United Nations World Drug Report published in 2022 alarmed that the global market of illicit drugs is steadily expanding in space and scale. Substances of abuse are usually perceived in the light of threats to human health and public security, while the environmental aspects of their use and subsequent emissions usually remain less explored. However, as with other human activities, drug production, trade, and consumption of drugs may leave their environmental mark. Therefore, this paper aims to review the occurrence of illicit drugs in surface waters and their bioaccumulation and toxicity in fish. Illicit drugs of different groups, i.e., psychostimulants (methamphetamines/amphetamines, cocaine, and its metabolite benzoylecgonine) and depressants (opioids: morphine, heroin, methadone, fentanyl), can reach the aquatic environment through wastewater discharge as they are often not entirely removed during wastewater treatment processes, resulting in their subsequent circulation in nanomolar concentrations, potentially affecting aquatic biota, including fish. Exposure to such xenobiotics can induce oxidative stress and dysfunction to mitochondrial and lysosomal function, distort locomotion activity by regulating the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems, increase the predation risk, instigate neurological disorders, disbalance neurotransmission, and produce histopathological alterations in the brain and liver tissues, similar to those described in mammals. Hence, this drugs-related multidimensional harm to fish should be thoroughly investigated in line with environmental protection policies before it is too late. At the same time, selected fish species (e.g., Danio rerio, zebrafish) can be employed as models to study toxic and binge-like effects of psychoactive, illicit compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halina Falfushynska
- Faculty of Economics, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, 06406 Bernburg, Germany
| | - Piotr Rychter
- Faculty of Science & Technology, Jan Dlugosz University in Częstochowa, Armii Krajowej 13/15, 42200 Czestochowa, Poland;
| | | | - Yuliia Faidiuk
- Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, Rudolfa Weigla 12, 53114 Wrocław, Poland;
- Educational and Scientific Centre “Institute of Biology and Medicine”, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, 2 Prospekt Hlushkov, 03022 Kyiv, Ukraine
- Zabolotny Institute of Microbiology and Virology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 154 Zabolotny Str., 03143 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Nadiia Kasianchuk
- Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, 61712 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Piotr Rzymski
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60806 Poznań, Poland;
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Ma DD, Shi WJ, Li SY, Zhang JG, Lu ZJ, Long XB, Liu X, Huang CS, Ying GG. Ephedrine and cocaine cause developmental neurotoxicity and abnormal behavior in zebrafish. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2023; 265:106765. [PMID: 37979497 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Ephedrine (EPH) and cocaine (COC) are illegal stimulant drugs, and have been frequently detected in aquatic environments. EPH and COC have negative effects on the nervous system and cause abnormal behaviors in mammals and fish at high concentrations, but their mechanisms of neurotoxicity remain unclear in larvae fish at low concentrations. To address this issue, zebrafish embryos were exposed to EPH and COC for 14 days post-fertilization (dpf) at 10, 100, and 1000 ng L-1. The bioaccumulation, development, behavior, cell neurotransmitter levels and apoptosis were detected to investigate the developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) of EPH and COC. The results showed that EPH decreased heart rate, while COC increased heart rate. EPH caused cell apoptosis in the brain by AO staining. In addition, behavior analysis indicated that EPH and COC affected spontaneous movement, touch-response, swimming activity and anxiety-like behaviors. EPH and COC altered the levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine (DA) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) with changes of the transcription of genes related to the DA and GABA pathways. These findings indicated that EPH and COC had noticeable DNT in the early stage of zebrafish at environmentally relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Dong Ma
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wen-Jun Shi
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China; Anti-Drug Technology Center of Guangdong Province and National Anti-Drug Laboratory Guangdong Regional Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Psychoactive Substances Monitoring and Safety, Guangzhou 510230, China.
| | - Si-Ying Li
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jin-Ge Zhang
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhi-Jie Lu
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Long
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xin Liu
- Anti-Drug Technology Center of Guangdong Province and National Anti-Drug Laboratory Guangdong Regional Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Psychoactive Substances Monitoring and Safety, Guangzhou 510230, China
| | - Chu-Shu Huang
- Anti-Drug Technology Center of Guangdong Province and National Anti-Drug Laboratory Guangdong Regional Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Psychoactive Substances Monitoring and Safety, Guangzhou 510230, China
| | - Guang-Guo Ying
- SCNU Environmental Research Institute, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Pollution and Environmental Safety & MOE Key Laboratory of Theoretical Chemistry of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environment, South China Normal University, University Town, Guangzhou 510006, China; Anti-Drug Technology Center of Guangdong Province and National Anti-Drug Laboratory Guangdong Regional Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Psychoactive Substances Monitoring and Safety, Guangzhou 510230, China.
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de Farias Araujo G, Medeiros RJ, Maciel-Magalhães M, Correia FV, Saggioro EM. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model to assess the effects of cocaine as a drug of abuse and its environmental implications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:28459-28479. [PMID: 36689115 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25402-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Cocaine (COC) use concerns are on the increase for both authorities and civil society. Despite this, it is important to investigate COC effects or those of its main metabolite, belzoylecgonine (BE), in consolidated aquatic model organisms, such as the zebrafish (Danio rerio). This (mini) review consists in an assessment regarding toxicological studies carried out employing zebrafish (embryos, larvae or adults) exposed to COC and/or BE indexed at the SCOPUS and Web of Science databases. Ten different endpoints were analyzed in both embryos and larvae, whereas only four were analyzed in adults. Of the 23 studies, only five investigated COC and/or BE effects following an environmental approach when exposing zebrafish, while most (18 studies) analyzed COC effects under a drug of abuse approach. Cocaine exposure was noted as altering the expression of several genes, such as those linked to COC transport proteins, dopamine receptors, SP substance production, the tachykinin system, and the tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme. BE exposure resulted in more oxidative and proteomic effects than COC in embryos. Cocaine abstinence resulted in hyperactivity associated with stereotypy in adult fish, in addition to reduced responses to visual stimuli to red light and neuronal development pattern alterations. Cocaine was noted as accumulating in zebrafish eyes, possibly due to melanin binding, and causing dose-response cardiac effects in both embryos and adults. Despite the different effects addressed by our survey, we emphasize the lack of COC and BE exposure assessments in zebrafish employing an environmental point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel de Farias Araujo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Saúde Pública E Meio Ambiente, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Renata Jurema Medeiros
- Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade Em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Magno Maciel-Magalhães
- Instituto Nacional de Controle de Qualidade Em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil, 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Fábio Veríssimo Correia
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Saúde Pública E Meio Ambiente, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal Do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Pasteur, 458, Urca, 22290-250, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Enrico Mendes Saggioro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Saúde Pública E Meio Ambiente, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sergio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
- Laboratório de Avaliação E Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-360, Brazil.
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Franks AL, Berry KJ, DeFranco DB. Prenatal drug exposure and neurodevelopmental programming of glucocorticoid signalling. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12786. [PMID: 31469457 PMCID: PMC6982551 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal neurodevelopment is dependent on precise functioning of multiple signalling pathways in the brain, including those mobilised by glucocorticoids (GC) and endocannabinoids (eCBs). Prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse, including opioids, alcohol, cocaine and cannabis, has been shown to not only impact GC signalling, but also alter functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Such exposures can have long-lasting neurobehavioural consequences, including alterations in the stress response in the offspring. Furthermore, cannabis contains cannabinoids that signal via the eCB pathway, which is linked to some components of GC signalling in the adult brain. Given that GCs are frequently used in pregnancy to prevent complications of prematurity, and also that rates of cannabis use in pregnancy are increasing, the likelihood of foetal co-exposure to these compounds is high and may have additional implications for long-term neurodevelopment. Here, we present a discussion of GC signalling and the HPA axis, as well as the effects of prenatal drug exposure on these pathways and the stress response, and we explore the interactions between GC and EC signalling in the developing brain and potential for neurodevelopmental consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis L Franks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kimberly J Berry
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Donald B DeFranco
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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