title: Effects of methylprednisolone on inflammatory activity and oxidative stress in the lungs of brain-dead rats.
abstract: To evaluate the effects that early and late systemic administration of methylprednisolone have on lungs in a rat model of brain death.
  
  
  
  Twenty-four male Wistar rats were anesthetized and randomly divided into four groups (n = 6 per group): sham-operated (sham); brain death only (BD); brain death plus methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg i.v.) after 5 min (MP5); and brain death plus methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg i.v.) after 60 min (MP60). In the BD, MP5, and MP60 group rats, we induced brain death by inflating a balloon catheter in the extradural space. All of the animals were observed and ventilated for 120 min. We determined hemodynamic and arterial blood gas variables; wet/dry weight ratio; histological score; levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity; and catalase activity. In BAL fluid, we determined differential white cell counts, total protein, and lactate dehydrogenase levels. Myeloperoxidase activity, lipid peroxidation, and TNF-α levels were assessed in lung tissue.
  
  
  
  No significant differences were found among the groups in terms of hemodynamics, arterial blood gases, wet/dry weight ratio, BAL fluid analysis, or histological score-nor in terms of SOD, myeloperoxidase, and catalase activity. The levels of TBARS were significantly higher in the MP5 and MP60 groups than in the sham and BD groups (p < 0.001). The levels of TNF-α were significantly lower in the MP5 and MP60 groups than in the BD group (p < 0.001).
  
  
  
  In this model of brain death, the early and late administration of methylprednisolone had similar effects on inflammatory activity and lipid peroxidation in lung tissue.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Eduardo Sperb
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Pilla
authors.forename: Raôni Bins
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Luiz Alberto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Forgiarini Junior
authors.forename: Luiz Felipe
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Forgiarini
authors.forename: Artur de Oliveira
authors.initials: Ade O
authors.lastname: Paludo
authors.forename: Jane Maria Ulbrich
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kulczynski
authors.forename: Paulo Francisco Guerreiro
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Cristiano Feijó
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Andrade
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001926:Brain Death; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008775:Methylprednisolone