Cocaine (COC) and its main metabolite, the benzoylecgonine (BE), are the main illicit drugs measured in aquatic system worldwide, with concentrations up to hundreds of ng/L. Although their current environmental concentrations are low these molecules can induce adverse effects at sub-individual level in non-target organisms. In contrast, the information at individual and behavioral level are still scant. The present study aimed at investigating biochemical and behavioral effects induced by 14-days exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (50 ng/L and 500 ng/L) of COC and BE towards Procambarus clarkii. At sub-individual level, the activity of antioxidant and detoxifying (superoxide dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, glutathione peroxidase - GPx and glutathione S-transferases - GST) enzymes, as well as the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), were measured as oxidative stress-related endpoints. We also measured the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity to check for neurotoxic effect of COC and BE. At individual level, the modulation of some behavioral tasks (i.e., response to external stimuli, changes in feeding activity and exploration of a new environment) were assessed. Although both COC and BE exposure did not induce an oxidative stress situation, a significant inhibition of AChE activity was noted, resulting in behavioral changes in crayfish exposed to COC only. Crayfish exposed to the higher COC concentration showed an increase in the boldness and a decrease in the feeding activity, suggesting that COC may act according to its psychotropic mode of action.

Differential biochemical and behavioral responses induced by cocaine and benzoylecgonine exposure to the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii / B. De Felice, F. De Pascalis, R. Manenti, R. Pavlovic, F. Di Cesare, R. Nasti, G. Beretta, M. Parolini. - In: SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT. - ISSN 0048-9697. - 844:(2022 Oct 20), pp. 157025.1-157025.11. [10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157025]

Differential biochemical and behavioral responses induced by cocaine and benzoylecgonine exposure to the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii

B. De Felice
Primo
Investigation
;
F. De Pascalis
Secondo
Writing – Review & Editing
;
R. Manenti
Resources
;
R. Pavlovic
Formal Analysis
;
F. Di Cesare
Formal Analysis
;
R. Nasti
Writing – Review & Editing
;
G. Beretta
Penultimo
Investigation
;
M. Parolini
Ultimo
Conceptualization
2022

Abstract

Cocaine (COC) and its main metabolite, the benzoylecgonine (BE), are the main illicit drugs measured in aquatic system worldwide, with concentrations up to hundreds of ng/L. Although their current environmental concentrations are low these molecules can induce adverse effects at sub-individual level in non-target organisms. In contrast, the information at individual and behavioral level are still scant. The present study aimed at investigating biochemical and behavioral effects induced by 14-days exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (50 ng/L and 500 ng/L) of COC and BE towards Procambarus clarkii. At sub-individual level, the activity of antioxidant and detoxifying (superoxide dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, glutathione peroxidase - GPx and glutathione S-transferases - GST) enzymes, as well as the levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO), were measured as oxidative stress-related endpoints. We also measured the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity to check for neurotoxic effect of COC and BE. At individual level, the modulation of some behavioral tasks (i.e., response to external stimuli, changes in feeding activity and exploration of a new environment) were assessed. Although both COC and BE exposure did not induce an oxidative stress situation, a significant inhibition of AChE activity was noted, resulting in behavioral changes in crayfish exposed to COC only. Crayfish exposed to the higher COC concentration showed an increase in the boldness and a decrease in the feeding activity, suggesting that COC may act according to its psychotropic mode of action.
Illicit drugs; multi-level approach; behavioral ecotoxicology
Settore BIO/07 - Ecologia
Settore VET/07 - Farmacologia e Tossicologia Veterinaria
Settore CHIM/08 - Chimica Farmaceutica
20-ott-2022
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/951064
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