[Protective role of endogenous nitric oxide to microcirculation of rats during burn shock].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) in burn shock.


METHODS
A model of 40% TBSA deep II burn injury in rats was used. The effects of L-NAME, the inhibitor of NO synthase, and L-Arg, the precursor of NO synthesis, on the mean arterial pressure (MAP), microcirculation of muscle, concentration of NO2(-)/NO3(-) in plasma and the survival time of animals were observed.


RESULTS
The results showed that the synthesis of nitric oxide was increased significantly, accompanied with the decrease of MAP and the disturbances of microcirculation of muscle after burn. L-NAME inhibited the decrease of MAP, but aggravated the disturbances of microcirculation and shortened the survival time of animals, while L-Arg produced the contrary effects.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicated that the large amount of NO in blood after burn may play an early protective role to injury.
Shi
S
S
Department of Pathophysiology, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou.
Wu
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002056:Burns / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012774:Shock, Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester