The influence of allopurinol and post-conditioning on lung injuries induced by lower-limb ischemia and reperfusion in Wistar rats.

PURPOSE

To analyze the effects of allopurinol and of post-conditioning on lung injuries induced by lower-limb ischemia and reperfusion.

METHODS

Thirty rats were used. They were divided in 5 groups: (1) group A: abdominal aortic dissection only, (2) group B: ischemia and reperfusion, (3) group C: administered allopurinol (100mg/Kg) a few hours before procedure, (4) group D: post-conditioned and (5) group E: administered allopurinol and post-conditioned. With the exception of group A, all groups were submitted to infrarenal aortic ischemia for 2 hours, and reperfusion for 72 hours. After euthanasia, lungs were removed for histological analysis. They were graded under two scores: pulmonary injury (neutrophil infiltration, interstitial edema, vascular congestion, and destruction of lung architecture) and lymphocytic score (neutrophil infiltration, lymphoid aggregate and secondary follicle).

RESULTS

On the pulmonary injury score, the degree of injury was smaller than in groups D and E, when compared to group B, p<0.05. Group C did not obtain the same result (p>0,05). On the lymphocytic score, there was no statistic difference among groups, p>0.05.

CONCLUSION

Both post-conditioning and the combination of allopurinol and post-conditioning were effective in remote lung protection induced by lower-limbs I/R. When used in isolation, allopurinol showed no protective effect.