Dietary vitamin E supplement does not inhibit changes in lung pressure-volume characteristics produced by bleomycin in hamsters.

We tested the hypothesis that a dietary supplement of vitamin E (VE) may lessen changes in pulmonary pressure-volume characteristics induced by intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Ninety-nine male hamsters were separated into a control group (C), a VE supplement group (E), a control plus bleomycin group (CB) and a VE supplement plus bleomycin group (EB). Animals were killed at 30, 40, 55, 70 and 90 days and the pressure-volume curves of their lungs, both air-filled and saline-filled, were determined. Bleomycin was instilled on the thirtieth day. Lung volumes, compliance and curve-fitting data were compared. The mean serum VE concentration was 17.5 micrograms.ml-1 in groups E and EB as compared to 5.7 micrograms.ml-1 in groups C and CB. Despite the remarkably high VE content, no significant difference was found between groups CB and EB for the parameters compared.