The Effects of Oral Intraperitoneal and Inhaled Methamphetamine on some Biochemical Parameters using Wistar Albino Rats

Abuse of hard drugs has become a norm for an increasing number of young people globally with methamphetamine currently the second most abused in Nigeria. The need for people to know as much as it is consumed was what inspired this research. With the oral, inhaled and intraperitoneal as the three routes of administration to be investigated, the animals were sequestered into seven groups of five each. Besides the control group, the other six were used to investigate effects of administering low and high doses of methamphetamine. Doses 0.57mg/kg and 14.28mg/kg were administered to the test animals via inhalation, oral and intraperitoneal means for 21 days while their weights were taken four times in a five day interval before sacrifice and biochemical analysis. The highest reductions in weight were recorded in groups orally administered 14.28mg/kg with a reduction percentage of 24.4% while those intraperitoneally administered 14.28mg/kg showed a 15.9% increase in weight. Groups orally and intraperitoneally administered 14.28mg/kg showed significant (p<0.05) elevations in AST levels when compared to the control group. The ALT levels increased significantly (p<0.05) in all test groups when compared to the control. Significant increase (p<0.05) in serum urea levels was recorded in groups intraperitoneally administered as well as those administered 0.57mg/kg via inhalation while all test groups administered 14.28mg/kg showed significant (p<0.05) rise in serum urea levels. Also, the creatinine levels showed significant increase (p<0.05) in groups intraperitoneally administered 14.28mg/kg. The results summarily suggest that the substance; both in low and high doses, can cause serious perturbations to vital organs and expose patrons to a host of health complications notwithstanding route of administration.