The toxicity of N-methyl-α-methyldopamine to freshly isolated rat hepatocytes is prevented by ascorbic acid and N-acetylcysteine

In the past decade, clinical evidence has increasingly shown that the liver is a target organ for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) toxicity. The aims of the present in vitro study were: (1) to evaluate and compare the hepatotoxic effects of MDMA and one of its main metabolites, N-methyl-α-methyldopamine (N-Me-α-MeDA) and (2) to investigate the ability of antioxidants, namely ascorbic acid and N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), to...