VARIATION IN TOXICITY OF ESCHERICHIA-COLI ENDOTOXIN AFTER TREATMENT WITH PERFLUORATED BLOOD SUBSTITUTES IN MICE

Abstract

Treatment with perfluorochemicals (PFC) shows a temporary decrease in phagocytic activity as measured by C clearance. The importance of this effect was checked by investigating the lethality after administrations of PFC and E. coli endotoxin in mice (NMRI strain). When endotoxin was applied simultaneously with PFC (4.4 g/kg body weight, a dose which could compensate a loss of 1/3 of blood volume) the lethality rose 7.8-fold. If the challenge with endotoxin occurred later than 12 h after PFC injection, the increase of lethality was of a distinctly smaller degree. By means of pretreatment with various substances, the increased lethality of endotoxin could be shifted in the direction of the control. Compund 48/80, aristolochic acid and hydrocortisone were effective in this respect; zymosan remained ineffective. Thus, a weakened resistance towards toxins from the intestinal tract under PFC administration was indicated; precaution in this regard should be taken during therapy with PFC.