EFFECT OF LOW DOSES OF MEMANTINE ON SERUM LEVELS OF INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN METHADONE-DEPENDENT RATS

Background and Aim : opioid abuse is a major public health and challenging problem with a broad range of physical, mental and psychiatric consequences worldwide. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of low doses of memantine on serum levels of inflammatory cytokines in methadone-dependent rats.Methods : This study was performed on 40 male wistar rats weighing 300-350 grams in four groups (n = 10). The rats were weighed at the beginning and the end of the study and fasting blood glucose was measured by glucometer. Within 10 days, one group received methadone 5 mg / kg intraperitoneal, two groups received memantine 30 minutes before methadone injection subcutaneously 1 and 2 mg / kg respectively and the last group received normal saline. At the end, rats were sacrificed and serum levels of hsCRP, NF-kB, TNF-α, IL-6 and lipid profiles were measured.Results : The results showed a significant difference between the four groups in the mean NFκβ level (P = 0.04) and hsCPR (P = 0.02). There was a significant difference between lipid profiles in mean of LDL level (P ≤ 0.001), HDL (P = 0.04) and triglyceride (P = 0.03).Conclusion : Our results showed that dependence on methadone affects the level of inflammatory cytokines, and memantine could reduce their levels. Therefore, memantine can be considered as a new anti-addiction approach in the treatment of opioid dependent patients who are on methadone maintenance treatment.

Keywords:

Methadone , Inflammatory cytokine , Memantine , Rat