Key result
Opium combined with high cholesterol increases lipid peroxidation and serum TNF-α in rats.
Why the study?
Addiction is an important risk factor for heart disease, and the role of TNF-α signaling in opium-induced cardiac complications requires investigation.
Does opium administration affect cardiac TNF-α signaling, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation in rats fed standard and high cholesterol diets?
Does opium administration affect cardiac TNF-α signaling, inflammation, and lipid peroxidation in rats fed standard and high cholesterol diets?
p-value: p=<0.01
Short-term opium use in rats promotes lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and mild morphological alterations in the heart, particularly when combined with a high-cholesterol diet.
Background Addiction is known as an important risk factor for heart disease. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is one of the important inflammatory factors that play a role in the occurrence of complications of heart disease; therefore, its pathway can be a therapeutic target for heart diseases. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of opium on the TNF-α signaling pathway in rats. Method In this experimental study, 28 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n= 6-7): 1; control, 2; opium 3; hypercholesterolemic, and 4; hypercholesterolemic received opium. At the end of the study, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were determined by a colorimetric kit. The amount of TNF-α protein in serum and tissue was measured by the ELISA method. The TNF-α signaling pathway gene expression was evaluated by the Real-time PCR method. Also, heart tissue changes were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Results The MDA levels increased significantly in the cholesterol + opium diet group compared to the control group (P<0.01). The amount of TOS non-significantly increased and TAC levels non-significantly reduced in hypercholesterolemic and opium-treated rats. Expression of the TNF-α gene was significantly reduced in the opium group compared to the control group (P<0.01). Serum TNF-α was increased in the group receiving opium in the hypercholesterolemic group (p<0.01). Histological results show that opium and a cholesterol-rich diet cause mild heart tissue damage. Conclusion Our results show the harmful effects of opium in short-term use on lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and heart morphological alterations.
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Sourani et al. (2026) studied this question. Opium vs. Control (standard diet) or hypercholesterolemic diet alone was evaluated on Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and TNF-α expression (p=<0.01). In male Wistar rats, opium combined with a cholesterol-rich diet significantly increased lipid peroxidation (MDA levels) and serum TNF-α compared to controls (P<0.01).
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