Inhibition of collagen synthesis as a treatment for paraquat poisoning

The effect of L-3, 4-dehydroproline (L-DHP) or DL-3, 4-dehydroproline (DL-DHP) on paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis was examined in male rats. Rats that declined in body weight during the 10 days after receiving 7.0 mg paraquat dichloride/kg body weight sc for 7 or 8 days were used. L-DHP or DL-DHP (25 mg/kg) was administered sc daily on days 11 through 24. The lung collagen of animals treated with paraquat was significantly elevated. Except for rats that died from acute or subchronic paraquat toxicity (till day 16), paraquat-induced fatal pulmonary fibrosis was not seen in other rats during the 100 days of this study. The effect of L-DHP or DL-DHP on inhibiting lung collagen synthesis was not statistically significant.