[Phagocytic activity of the reticuloendothelial system in burn toxicity]

The functional activity of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) was studied in 85 Wistar rats with burn intoxication induced by thermal injury or administration of burn toxoid. It was established that burn injury causes a stable and marked suppression of RES phagocytic activity. This was manifested by a rise in the percentage of Au radioactivity retention in the blood flow and by the decreased phagocytic index. Injections of burnt skin extracts and burn toxoid preparations, i. e. stimulation of burn intoxication depresses the phagocytic activity of hepatic macrophages similarly to the action of natural burn. A decrease in the phagocytic activity of hepatic macrophages under the effect of burn intoxication may serve as a sensitive indicator of the body nonspecific resistance in burn injury, whereas burn toxoid may be regarded as a initiator of changes in the early stage of burn disease.