[Proteolytic lung emphysema and obstructive airway disease (author's transl)]

Inhalation of papain by dogs produced morphological changes corresponding to a centrolobular emphysema. The papain inhalation also induced a purulent catarrhal bronchitis. However, the functional changes seen in chronic obstructive bronchitis were not observed. During papain inhalation an increased sensitivity of the bronchial systems develops corresponding to a tremendous increase in bronchospasm in response to Acetylcholine aerosol. The parenchymal lung tissue in dogs is more vulnerable in developing emphysema after papain exposure than is teh bronchial system in developing a chronic obstructive airway disease.