Effect of glutamine on acute lung injury in rats with endotoxemia

We administered endotoxin to rats to produce an acute lung injury model, and assessed the effect on respiratory function when glutamine was added to the solution for total parenteral nutrition. Rats given total parenteral nutrition with glutamine as 33% of the amino acid content were compared with rats given no glutamine. Endotoxin (500 microg/kg) was administered intravenously after 72 h of total parenteral nutrition. The survival rate and the nitrogen balance were significantly improved (P < 0.05) at 48 h after endotoxin administration as a result of glutamine treatment. In addition, the arterial oxygen partial pressure was significantly increased (P < 0.01) and the wet: dry lung weight ratio was decreased (P < 0.05) by glutamine. These results suggested that glutamine improved endotoxin-induced acute lung injury in rats.