Can cocaine block the uptake of neurotoxin produced by Trypanosoma cruzi?

In the present study we describe the morphological and morphometric alterations induced by Trypanosoma cruzi (Bolivia strain) on the mice parotid gland, and the action of cocaine on the development of the gland of growing infected animals. The acinar cells of animals inoculated 28 d after birth showed reduced eosinophilia, greater chromatin condensation, reduced height, and basally dislocated nucleus. The area occupied by the acini was decreased and the nuclear volume was reduced. Reduced height of epithelial cells and decreased nuclear volume occurred in the striated and excretory ducts. The presence of lymphoplasmocyte infiltrates was also observed. The present results indicate delayed development of the infected mouse parotid gland. Our results indicate that cocaine perceptibly reduced the atrophy of the acinar cells and minimized the histopathological changes caused by T. cruzi in the parotid gland, in addition to significantly increasing the survival of infected animals. The presence of stroma with dilated capillaries and frequent inflammatory infiltrates showed that cocaine does not interfere with the inflammatory response.