[Enzyme activity in the blood plasma of lambs with acute radiation sickness]

The activity was determined of sorbitol-dehydrogenase (SDH), cholinesterase (CE), leucine-aminopeptidase (LAP), acid phosphatase (AP), and glutamate-dehydrogenase (GDH) in blood plasma of lambs irradiated with 200, 320, and 450 Rad. Results showed that with the mild form of acute radiation sickness (treatment with 200 Rad) the activity of the blood enzymes did not change. With the severe (320 Rad) and the peracute (450 Rad) forms of the disease within the first 24 hours the activity of SDH and CE rose 3 to 5 times, and that of GDH and AP--twice within a period of 1 to 3 days following irradiation. In the case of a threefold increased activity of SDH and CE within 15 to 24 hours of treatment the diseased animals died. Parallel hematologic investigations revealed that well manifested leukopenia with these two forms of the sickness took place after the 24th hour. Activity determination of the investigated plasma enzymes within the first 15-24 hours following irradiation could be used as an adjunct test to the study of the hematologic indices for the early diagnosis of the severe and peracute forms of irradiation sickness as well as for the exit of the disease.