[The inhibitory effects of chloroquine and dexamethasone on the formation of pulmonary edema in the early stage of smoke inhalation injury in rats].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the inhibitory effects of chloroquine and dexamethasone on the formation of pulmonary edema in the early stage of smoke inhalation injury in rats.


METHODS
Wistar rats were used and randomly divided into 10 groups, i.e. normal control, 1 PBH (postburn hour), 3 PBH, 6 PBH, 12 PBH and 24 PBH groups of smoke inhalation injury, 6 PBH and 12 PBH groups with dexamethasone treatment, and 6 PBH and 12 PBH groups with chloroquine treatment. The lung water content (LWC), pulmonary vascular permeability (PVP) and hemorrhagic amount (PHA) were measured.


RESULTS
The LWC and PVP (measured by the pulmonary exudation amount of (131)I -- labelled albumin) increased obviously, peaked at 6 PBH and lasted to 24 PBH (P < 0.01) in rats injured by smoke inhalation. In groups treated with chloroquine or dexamethasone, the LWC and PVP were significantly lower at 6 PBH (P < 0.05). Similarly, the PHA in injured group exhibited remarkable, especially at 1 PBH and up to 24 PBH when the value was still higher than that in normal control group (P < 0.01). In groups treated with chloroquine or dexamethasone, PHA abated evidently at 6 PBH (P < 0.01). But there were no significant difference of the indices among groups at 12 PBH.


CONCLUSIONS
Both chloroquine and dexamethasone be effective in preventing and treating pulmonary edema in rats in the early stage of smoke inhalation injury.
Yang
T
T
Department of Anesthesia, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400037, P.R. China.
Yang
Z
Z
Luo
Q
Q
D000818:Animals; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015208:Smoke Inhalation Injury / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D003907:Dexamethasone; D002738:Chloroquine