Tahmineh Mokhtari
1,2, Ardeshir Sheikhazadi
3, Gholamreza Hassanzadeh
4, Manouchehr Safari
1, Fatemeh Sheikhbahaei
5, Hedyeh Faghir-Ghanesefat
6, Maryam Rezaei
3*1 Nervous System Stem Cells Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
2 Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
3 Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5 Department of Anatomical Sciences, Afzalipour School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
6 Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
This study aims to review the literature pertaining to the renal effects of amphetamines
(AMPs) including AMP and its analogues (ARDAs) such as methamphetamine (MET) and
3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine (MDMA) and discuss the implications for these
drugs users. The study was performed through searching in the relevant literature. Sufficient
clinical and experimental evidence suggested that AMPs have adverse and potentially nonfatal
and fatal effects on users’ kidneys. The acute and chronic renal complications due to
illicit drugs such as AMPs have been investigated. A few renal effects in AMPs users have
been demonstrated. However, isolated reports of adverse renal effects of AMPs including
nephropathy due to rhabdomyolysis, necrotizing renal vasculopathy and malignant
hypertension have been recorded. It can be suggested that renal damages after AMPs
consumption should be considered in the emergency departments (EDs).
Implication for health policy/practice/research/medical education:
Isolated reports on renal complications, rhabdomyolysis, necrotizing renal maculopathy and malign hypertension, induced by
amphetamine (AMP) and its analogues have been recorded. This review tried to survey different sources to collect information
for better understanding the pathophysiology underlying the functional defects and different renal complications in patients
with AMP abuse.
Please cite this paper as: Mokhtari T, Sheikhazadi A, Hassanzadeh G, Safari M, Sheikhbahaei F, Faghir-Ghanesefat H, et al.
Potential adverse effects of amphetamines on kidney; a narrative review on current knowledge. J Renal Inj Prev. 2018;7(4):218-
223. Doi: 10.15171/jrip.2018.51.