ABSTRACT

To investigate the eff ectivenes of Dimethylthiourea (DMTU) treatment on lung tissue in experimental smoke inhalation induced Acute Lung Injury (ALI) in rabbits.

We used 24 New Zealand type female rabbits.We divided then into three groups as control, sham and DMTU (600 mg/kg). The treatment began immediately after smoke inhalation. The inhalation was performed by the bubble-smoke-intubation method. Arterial blood samples, plasma NO levels and biochemical analysis were performed at the 0th 3rd and 96th hours and tissue samples were collected from the lungat the end of the experiment.

Arterial pH and PaO₂ levels were signifi cantly high in the DMTU group, compared to the sham group. Blood urea, creatinine, ALT, AST levels were also signifi cantly higher. NO levels did not diff er between the groups. In the histopathologic examination; atelectasia, neutrophil penetration, edema, alveoli neutrophil and mucus fi ndings were signifi cantly diff erent between DMTU and the other groups.

In our study DMTU, an antioxidant agent, had positive eff ects on patient arterial blood pH, PaO₂, blood urea, creatinine, ALT, AST, LDH levels and lung histology in experimental smoke inhalation induced ALI in rabbits.

Keywords: Acute Lung injury, smoke inhalation, antioxidant, dimethylthiourea