Lack of protection against oxygen toxicity by in vivo protective agents in the isolated toad bladder

Agents which protect against the development of oxygen toxicity in vivo were tested in an in vitro system, the isolated urinary bladder of the toad Bufo marinus. None of the agents protected against the inhibition of sodium transport across the bladder by hyperbaric oxygen exposure. Two protective agents, disulfiram and diethyldithiocarbamic acid, significantly increased the rate and extent of sodium transport inhibition by 5 ATA of oxygen, either when added in vitro or given in vivo. It was concluded that oxygen toxicity protective agents may have a nonspecific action in vivo.