title: Acute and long-term ocular effects of acrolein vapor on the eyes and potential therapies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acrolein is a potent irritant and a vesicant that was used by the French during WWI as the warfare agent named: "papite". Nowadays, it is produced in large amounts all over the world in the industry for the production of acrylic acid and for agriculture use as herbicide. The aim of this study was to characterize the effects of acute eye exposure to acrolein vapor and to evaluate the efficacy of a topical post-exposure combination treatment with a local anesthetic and a steroid.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rabbit eyes were exposed to three doses of acrolein vapor (low, intermediate and high) and treated topically with either 0.4% benoxinate hydrochloride (localin, for 2 h) or dexamethasone (dexamycin, for 6 days) or a combination of both drugs. Clinical follow-up using slit lamp examinations and histological evaluation was performed 4 weeks post-exposure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acrolein vapor caused immediate eye closure with excess tearing, corneal erosions and severe inflammation of the anterior chamber. This was followed by corneal neovascularization (NV) starting as early as 1 week post-exposure. The damage to the eyes was long lasting, and at 4 weeks following exposure, significant pathological changes were observed. Immediate post-exposure application of the local anesthetic, localin, prevented the eye closure, and the dexamycin treatment reduced significantly the initial inflammation as well as the extent and incidence of corneal NV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term eye exposure to the irritant acrolein may result in immediate eye closure and long lasting pathologies that could lead to blindness. An anti-inflammatory treatment combined with short-term application of a local anesthetic prevents incapacitation and might minimize significantly the extent of eye injuries.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology , Israel Institute for Biological Research , Ness Ziona , Israel.
authors.forename: Shlomit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dachir
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology , Israel Institute for Biological Research , Ness Ziona , Israel.
authors.forename: Maayan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology , Israel Institute for Biological Research , Ness Ziona , Israel.
authors.forename: Hila
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gutman
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology , Israel Institute for Biological Research , Ness Ziona , Israel.
authors.forename: Liat
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology , Israel Institute for Biological Research , Ness Ziona , Israel.
authors.forename: Hillel
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Buch
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmacology , Israel Institute for Biological Research , Ness Ziona , Israel.
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kadar
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000633:toxicity*; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D007509:Irritants / Q000633:toxicity*; D011343:Procaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007509:Irritants; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; D011343:Procaine; D000171:Acrolein; D003907:Dexamethasone; C005298:benoxinate
keywords: Acrolein; eyes; irritant; localin; steroids