THE COMBINED EFFECTS OF COCAINE AND AMPHETAMINE ON PRIMARY POSTNATAL RAT-HEART CELL-CULTURES

Recent reports demonstrated that perinatal exposure to cocaine (Coc) and amphetamines (Amph) predisposed the infant to adverse cardiovascular consequences. Dose- and time-dependent effects of Coc and Amph on postnatal rat myocardial cell cultures are described. Contractile activity, morphology, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, MTT formazan production, and neutral red (NR) retention were determined. No contractile activity was observed in cultures treated with the highest drug doses. After 24 h, the percentage of areas exhibiting contractile activity was decreased in cultures exposed to the lowest doses of both drugs. When Coc and Amph were combined, beating rates were significantly altered. Morphologic alterations were observed in all treatment groups. LDH release occurred in cultures exposed to the highest doses of both drugs. No significant differences were observed for MTT or NR. These data demonstrate that Coc and Amph doses greater-than-or-equal-to 1 X 10(-5)M induce adverse effects on morphology and contractile activity of postnatal myocardial cell cultures.