[Sensitivity of phagocytes in the blood and bronchoalveolar tract to hydrocortisone in acute injury of the respiratory organs].

Pneumonia was modelled in experiments on female hybrid mice (CBA X C57Bl)F1 by intratracheal administration of 0.1 ml of 0.4% AgNO3 solution. The functional activity of alveolar macrophages and neutrophils of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood after administration of hydrocortisone (125 mg/kg) was studied in the early stage of pneumonia. The bactericidal and absorptive capacity of neutrophils of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and blood diminished considerably under the effect of the hormone. The inhibiting effect of hydrocortisone on the bactericidal activity of alveolar macrophages from the focus of inflammation was more marked than the effect on the cells of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from the lungs of intact animals.