title: Nitroglycerin does not alter pulmonary vascular permeability in isolated rabbit lungs.
abstract: Nitroglycerin (NTG) produces vasodilation by releasing nitric oxide (NO) at the cellular level. Other studies have suggested that NO may directly alter vascular permeability and may alter the development of tissue injury. We therefore examined the effects of NTG on vascular permeability in the buffer-perfused rabbit lung under normal conditions and during lung injury. Vascular permeability was assessed by measurement of the capillary filtration coefficient (Kf,c). In normal lungs, NTG did not alter Kf,c or the rate of weight gain. Oxidant lung injury was produced by the addition of purine and xanthine oxidase and resulted in increased Kf,c and increased weight gain. However, NTG did not alter these effects of oxidant lung injury. We conclude that NTG does not alter pulmonary vascular permeability in either normal or oxidant-injured lungs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University Medical Center, CA 94305-5117, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Pearl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size; D016877:Oxidants; D011817:Rabbits; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D016877:Oxidants; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin