Cannabis combined with anabolic steroid nandrolone produced greater neurotoxicity than either drug alone in adolescent rats
Combining cannabis and nandrolone in adolescent male rats caused worse cognitive deficits, more anxiety, aggression, and greater brain damage than either substance alone, driven by oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Combined cannabis + nandrolone caused learning/spatial memory deficits, hypo-locomotion, anxiety, and aggression. Severe damage to hippocampal and prefrontal cortex architecture with decreased BDNF. Combined treatment increased oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, and activated both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways beyond either drug alone.
Key Numbers
Nandrolone 15 mg/kg + cannabis 20 mg/kg daily for 1 month. Combined treatment: increased MDA and NO, decreased glutathione, elevated TNF-alpha and IL-1-beta, upregulated caspases 3, 8, 9 and cytochrome c in hippocampus and PFC.
How They Did This
Adolescent male rats received nandrolone (15 mg/kg) and/or cannabis extract (20 mg/kg) daily for 1 month. Assessed: Morris water maze, open field, elevated plus maze, defensive aggression test. Brain biochemistry: BDNF, oxidative stress markers, cytokines, caspases.
Why This Research Matters
Nandrolone (an anabolic steroid) and cannabis are commonly co-used, particularly among young males. Understanding that the combination amplifies neurotoxicity has direct harm reduction implications.
The Bigger Picture
Polydrug use in adolescence is common, and the synergistic neurotoxicity of cannabis + anabolic steroids adds to growing evidence that combinations can be far more damaging than individual substances.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Animal model with relatively high doses; cannabis extract composition may differ from human use; only male rats studied; 1-month treatment with immediate testing does not capture long-term or recovery effects.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would lower doses still produce synergistic effects?
- ?Do these findings translate to the doses typically used by human adolescents who combine these substances?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Combined cannabis + nandrolone: greater neurotoxicity than either drug alone
- Evidence Grade:
- Single animal study with comprehensive biochemical profiling but relatively high doses.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2020.
- Original Title:
- Combined neurotoxic effects of cannabis and nandrolone decanoate in adolescent male rats.
- Published In:
- Neurotoxicology, 76, 114-125 (2020)
- Authors:
- El-Shamarka, Marwa El-Sayed, Sayed, Rabab H, Assaf, Naglaa, Zeidan, Hala M, Hashish, Adel F
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02528
Evidence Hierarchy
Tests effects in animals (usually mice or rats), not humans.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is combining cannabis with anabolic steroids dangerous?
This animal study found the combination produced significantly worse brain damage, cognitive deficits, and behavioral problems than either substance alone. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death pathways were all amplified by the combination.
Why would people use both together?
Anabolic steroid use and cannabis use both peak in adolescence and young adulthood, particularly among males. Some users may combine them without awareness that the combination could amplify neurotoxic effects.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02528APA
El-Shamarka, Marwa El-Sayed; Sayed, Rabab H; Assaf, Naglaa; Zeidan, Hala M; Hashish, Adel F. (2020). Combined neurotoxic effects of cannabis and nandrolone decanoate in adolescent male rats.. Neurotoxicology, 76, 114-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2019.11.001
MLA
El-Shamarka, Marwa El-Sayed, et al. "Combined neurotoxic effects of cannabis and nandrolone decanoate in adolescent male rats.." Neurotoxicology, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2019.11.001
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Combined neurotoxic effects of cannabis and nandrolone decan..." RTHC-02528. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/el-shamarka-2020-combined-neurotoxic-effects-of
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.