Effects of hyperbaric oxygen exposure on a zymosan-induced shock model.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy on zymosan-induced shock in rats. Zymosan, a cell wall component of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, induces inflammation by causing the production of various cytokines and pro-inflammatory mediators. The administration of zymosan to rats represents a new experimental shock model by inducing acute peritonitis, severe hypotension, and signs of systemic illness.

Effects of hyperbaric oxygen exposure on non-adrenergic non-cholinergic responses of rat trachea.

The effects of prolonged (20 day) hyperbaric exposure (HBO) to oxygen on non adrenergic non cholinergic (NANC) contractile and relaxant responses of rat trachea were examined. The electrical field stimulation (EFS) of rat tracheal rings was performed at 30 Hz and contractile and relaxant responses were assessed in the absence or in the presence of pretreatment with L-nitro-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NO synthase, and L-Arginine (L-ARG), a precursor of NO synthesis, plus L-NAME. Our data demonstrated that L-NAME significantly (p < 0.

Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of dermorphin in rats.

The cardiovascular and respiratory effects of dermorphin (D) have been evaluated in freely moving or anesthetized normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive male rats. Intravenously or intracerebroventricularly administration of D produced arterial hypotension with sinus bradycardia and respiratory depression. Naloxone antagonized the effects of D.