G. Petri

EFFECT OF A WATER-SOLUBLE CORTICOSTEROID ANALOGUE IN EXPERIMENTAL HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK.

Summary The effect of 11β, 17α-dihydroxy-3,-20-dioxo 21-N (N′-methylpiperazinyl) 1,4-pregnadien hydrochloride, a water-soluble corticosteroid analogue, was investigated in hemorrhagic shock in dogs. In a dose of 15 mg./kg. the steroid raised considerably the blood pressure of the oligemic animals, improved their survival rate and decreased some metabolic changes characteristic of shock. In a dose of 7.5 mg./kg. the above effects were less; a dose of 1.5 mg./kg. does not significantly alter the course of the shock.

Changes in enzyme and metabolite content of effluent perfusate during preservation of dog kidneys by Collins' method

Enzyme and metabolite content of effuent perfusate has been investigated. One kidney was removed from dogs and preserved by Collins method. The animals were then bled to a mean arterial blood pressure of 5.26 KPa (40 mm Hg) and maintained at this pressure for 60 min after which the other kidney was removed and preserved in a similar way. 10-ml samples of effluent perfusate were taken immediately, and after 30 min, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h. Acid phosphatase, arylsulphatase A, ss-glucuronidase, LDH, leucin-aminopeptidase, lactic acid and pyruvic acid were determined by fluorometric methods. It was found that the activity of the enzymes rose parallel with the duration of preservation, the rise was especially great at 48 and 72 h. Activity of LDH and arylsulphatase A was significantly higher even at the beginning of preservation in the group of kidneys exposed in vivo to hypotension. This significant difference was present at 24, 48 und 72 h in the activity of all enzymes.

Time course of metabolite and enzyme changes in hypoxic conditions.

Tissue hypoxia of shock is often characterized by metabolites of anaerobic glycolysis released into the blood plasma auch as lactic and pyruvic acids and by the so-called “excess lactate” of Huckabee. (Huckabee 1958; Rosenberg et al., 1961; Peretz et al., 1965). Release of lysosomal and cytoplasmic enzymes into the circulation also occurs in hemorrhagic shock. We have shown earlier that their plasma level correlates well with the severity of shock (Gergely et al., 1970; Barankay and Petri 1969). According to the investigations of Schmidt during hypoxic damage of isolated, perfused organs a significant release of enzymes and metabolites takes place (Schimdt et al., 1966). These substances appear in the perfusate after the lapse of a certain period of time depending on their intracellular localization, binding, etc.