Suppression of macrophage reactive intermediates by cocaine.

The in vivo or in vitro effects of cocaine on the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide (O2-), and nitrite (NO2-) by sodium periodate-elicited macrophages were studied. Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide productions were suppressed by both in vitro treatments and in vivo administrations of cocaine. The H2O2 and O2- production partially recovered after 150 min in vitro. However, cocaine inhibited NO2- production only in vitro, failing to suppress it through in vivo administration.