The effects of scopolamine on the survival time and microcirculation of septic shock rats

Shock has been established as a disorder of the microcirculation. Despite various treatments, the mortality rate of infectious shocks remains 30-50%. The study was designed to explore the effects of scopolamine on the survival time, microcirculation and inflammatory cytokine secretion in rats with septic shock.

SD rats were randomly divided into seven groups: a sham group, a control group, a saline group and four scopolamine group. The rat septic shock model was induced by cecal ligation, perforation and drainage, while the operation in the sham group involved opening and closing the abdominal cavity. The survival time was recorded to determine a suitable dose for the subsequent experiments. The microcirculation of the terminal ileum was observed. The concentrations of IL-10, IL-6 and TNF-α in the plasma and lungs were detected by ELISA, and the wet-dry ratio of the lung was calculated.

Compared to the control and saline group, the septic shock rats treated in the scopolamine group had a longer survival time, a lower reduction in arteriolar blood flow, and a decreased change in the average diameter of arterioles and venules. The rat wet-dry lung ratio was less in the sham, control and scopolamine groups compared to the saline group. The plasma and lung cytokine concentrations of the rats belonging to the scopolamine group were less than those of the control and saline groups; however, all of the cytokine concentrations were higher than those of the sham group.

Scopolamine reduced the plasma and lung concentrations of specific cytokines, improved the function of the microcirculation and prolonged the survival time of rats with septic shock.