Phagocytosis of the protozoon <i>Tetrahymena pyriformis</i> as an endpoint in the estimation of cocaine salt and cocaine freebase toxicity

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<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Cells of the ciliated protozoon Tetrahymena pyriformis strain W, grown in a peptone‐yeast medium, usually contain many phagocytic vacuoles. The phagocytic activity of this protozoon was studied in vivo using heat‐inactivated yeast stained with carmine after exposing the cultures for 1 hour to different doses of cocaine hydrochloride or cocaine freebase (crack) (0.5, 1 or 2 mg/100 ml of protozoan culture).The number of vacuoles formed indicated the phagocytic activity. Cocaine hydrochloride and crack caused a decrease of the phagocytic activity of the protozoon (<jats:italic>p</jats:italic> < 0.05) when compared to the control cultures. Furthermore, the two chemical forms of cocaine, salt and free‐base respectively, caused quantitatively different effects on the phagocytic activity. Crack produced an extensive decrease in phagocytosis, compared to equal concentrations of cocaine hydrochloride. These results suggest a possible relationship between cocaine abuse and the suppression of phagocytosis that may contribute to the impairment of immunity in drug misusers.</jats:p>

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