[Alteration of free radical generation in pulmonary tissue after quick decompression]

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate decompression-induced pulmonary injury by means of measurement of ascorbate free radical (Vc-.) alteration in pulmonary tissue of the rats which experienced rapid decompression. 29 male S-D rats were divided into 4 groups: A was executed at 45 min post-decompression; B was control for A; C was executed at 90 min; D was ontrol for C. Group A and group C were to compress up to 0.5 MPa(air) and stay for 60 min, then were decompressed smoothly to normbaric in 1 min. The 0.05 M N-tert-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone (PBN) was given at 20 min after completion of decompression (groups A and B) or at 65 min (groups C and D). At 25 min after PBN injection the animals were killed by cutting arteria coeliaca, and 0.75 g pulmonary tissues were taken. These tissues were homogenized for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) assay. The results demonstrated that the ascorbate free radical (Vc-.) signals were obtained at all samples. The intensity of signals measured in group C rose markedly (P < 0.05) and that in group A was close to control's. So it can be concluded that rapid decompression would increase the generation of free radical in lung.