ABSTRACT
Abstract Evaluating the effects of ecstasy on CYP2E1 activity is of great concern, mainly due to growing trends in abuse and co-administration of MDMA with ethanol and the dominant role of this isoenzyme on ethanol metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of MDMA on CYP2E1 activity. A total of 24 male rats were selected and divided into three groups. The first and second groups consisted of 12 rats and were employed to optimize the perfusion method, and the third group was employed for studying the alteration of CYP2E1 activity after liver exposure to MDMA (300 and 600 ng/ml). The amount of chlorzoxazone and 6-hydroxy chlorzoxazone in a sample obtained from liver perfusion before and after exposure to a buffer containing MDMA was determined by HPLC-FL. The enzymatic activity of rat CYP2E1 decreased after liver perfusion with a buffer containing 600 ng/ml of MDMA. However, no significant changes were observed in chlorzoxazone and 6-hydroxy chlorzoxazone concentration in perfusate before and after liver perfusion with a buffer containing 300 ng/ml of MDMA. Our findings suggest that the activity of CYP2E1 in rats might decrease only after administration of MDMA at a lethal dose. However, further animal and human studies are needed to confirm our assumption.