Increased survival rates by topical treatment of burns with cerium nitrate.

In experiments on mice we were able to show that the negative effects attributed to burn toxins could almost completely be prevented by one single early treatment of the burned skin with a 0.04 M solution of cerium nitrate [Ce(NO3)3]. The survival rate was 10% for animals which were grafted with burned skin. Treatment with Ce(NO3)3 increased the survival rate to 74%. A reflection of this protective effect was the prevention of the burn-induced disturbance of the acceptor control ratio in isolated liver cell mitochondria. Repeated use of Ce(NO3)3 showed adverse effects due to an increased absorption. An effective treatment of burns with Ce(NO3)3 is without problems and can be done in any hospital.