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Asian Journal of Biochemistry

Year: 2012 | Volume: 7 | Issue: 4 | Page No.: 226-231
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Authors

T.A. Samuel

H.S.A. Olasore

E.O. Nanaghan

I.O. Turner

A.A. Owoyale

O.A. Magbagbeola

Keywords

Controversies surround the use of cannabis and there have been discrepancies in the results of various studies on cannabis carried out on animals and on human beings. The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicological, metabolic, reproductive and neurochemical effects of chronic cannabis use among some male users in Lagos, Nigeria. Twenty male chronic cannabis smokers with ages between 20-35 years and average duration of cannabis use of 5 years were recruited along with ten male age matched controls that were not using cannabis. Blood samples were collected from all the subjects for the analyses of plasma dopamine, norepinephrine, Prolactin (PRL), Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and testosterone levels. Random blood sugar, plasma cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides, total plasma protein, serum Alanine Transaminase (ALT) and Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) were also estimated. The results showed that smokers had significantly higher levels of dopamine, norepinephrine and testosterone. There was also significantly higher levels of serum ALT and AST in the smokers’ group. However, the other reproductive hormones and the metabolic parameters checked were all not significantly different between the two groups. We concluded that chronic cannabis use is associated with increased catecholamine neurotransmitters and increased testosterone and liver toxicity while there are no effects on PRL and gonadotropins as well as metabolism.
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