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Heroin dependence effects on some major and trace elements

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Abstract

In this study, 56 (14 control and 42 addicts) adult human subjects of both sexes of different periods of heroin dependence were subjected to the measurement of whole blood, serum, and red blood cell levels of some trace elements (zinc, managanese, iron copper, and bromine), as well as some major elements (phosphorus, sulfur, calcium, potassium, and chlorine). This was done by the energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technique, in which copper and bromine showed a significant rise in whole blood (male) (22 and 32%, respectively), while zinc, iron, manganese, calcium, sulfur phosphorus, potassium, and chlorine showed a significant drop (49, 8, 25, 34, 21, 51, 61 and 72%, respectively) in proportion to the period of heroin intake (6 yr) and in comparison with the control group. No significant sexual variation has been reported.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radioanalysis Research Laboratory, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

    Tarek Elnimr, Ahmed Hashem & Radwan Assar

  2. Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

    Tarek Elnimr, Ahmed Hashem & Radwan Assar

Authors
  1. Tarek Elnimr
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  2. Ahmed Hashem
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  3. Radwan Assar
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Elnimr, T., Hashem, A. & Assar, R. Heroin dependence effects on some major and trace elements. Biol Trace Elem Res 54, 153–162 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02786262

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02786262

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