Hepatocyte ultrastructural alterations in cocaine users.

The ultrastructural examination of liver biopsies from five male cocaine users showed hepatocytes presenting diverse alterations in rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, nuclei and microvilli. Lipid deposition and an increase of autophagic vacuoles were also observed. This study demonstrates that the hepatocyte is an important target cell for cocaine toxic effects in some patients.