Assessment of DNA damage in the heroin addicted population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan using alkaline comet assay

Abstract

The study was conducted to gain knowledge about the assessment of DNA damage in the population of heroin addicts and also to learn about the related health complications in drug abusers. A total of 103 samples of blood were collected from 65 heroin addicted subjects and 38 control subjects. For evaluation of DNA damage in the heroin addicted group, a comet assay technique was carried out. The results demonstrated that significant DNA damage 167.35±16.49 (P<0.05) was found in subjects who were addicted to heroin as compared to the control group having cells without any DNA damage 53.02±25.03. The population which were positive for human immunodeficiency virus infection had the highest total comet score values followed by asthma and hepatitis C virus. The total comet score increased significantly with age group. Significantly, the highest genotoxicity was concluded in the heroin addicted population.

Keywords

• heroin addicted population
• dna damage
• comet assay
• genotoxicity