Comparison between lung and liver lipid peroxidation and mortality after zymosan peritonitis in the rat.

We compared the mortality rate and the lung and liver histologic injury with the degree of tissue lipid peroxidation after zymosan-induced peritonitis. Male Wistar rats were given .75 or 1 mg/g of zymosan intraperitoneally and monitored for 24 h. Tissue lipid peroxides were measured as conjugated dienes and malondialdehyde (MDA) as were the antioxidants, ascorbic acid and catalase. Mortality rates for the .75 and 1 mg/g groups were 15 and 50%, respectively. In lung, the degree of increase in conjugated dienes and MDA was significantly greater in nonsurvivors than survivors. Ascorbic acid and catalase levels were also significantly decreased to a greater degree in the sicker animals with ascorbic acid decreased to a greater degree in the higher dose and sicker animals. The level of MDA corresponded with the degree of histologic change. Catalase decreased to a greater degree in liver than lung. We conclude that the degree of lung and liver lipid peroxidation correlates with the degree of inflammation induced tissue injury and mortality.