Abstract
Cellular metabolism of oxygen generates various free radicals and reactive molecules. Exposure to higher than normal oxygen concentrations can damage tissue possibly via lipid peroxidation of membranes, inhibition of reversible electron transport or oxidation of SH-enzymes. Antioxidant compounds have been used successfully to protect cells from damage but their usefulness is limited because of their toxicity.
We have investigated the use of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC, MucomystR), a relatively non-toxic antioxidant, in preventing oxygen toxicity. Sixteen male Sprague-Dawley rats, 250-300 gm. were pretreated with one dose of NAC (1.0 mg/g i.p.) immediately prior to exposure to hyperbaric oxygen (98-100% O2, 4 atm. absolute). Control rats (8) were pretreated with an equal volume of normal saline. The time of convulsions and time to death were used as indices of oxygen toxicity (Proc. Soc. Exp. Bio. Med. 133:103, 1970). The time to convulsions in the NAC group (298 ± 19 min; mean ± SEM) was significantly prolonged (p<0.001) as compared to the saline control (153 ± 13 min.). Since four of the NAC group died without seizing, the time to death was used as the time to convulsion. The time to death in the NAC group was not significantly prolonged (369 ± 23 min vs 307 ± 17 min). These data suggests that NAC may be a useful antioxidant in the reduction of oxygen toxicity.
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Lambert, G., Galinsky, R. 257 REDUCTION OF OXYGEN TOXICITY BY N-ACETYL-L-CYSTEINE. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 406 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00262
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-00262