[Effects of jute, ramee, flax dusts on rabbit alveolar macrophages in vitro]

The effects of jute, ramee, flax dusts on alveolar macrophage (AM) were observed by cell culture. The results indicated that AM could be damaged by all of the three kinds of dusts. The viability was decreased. The activity of lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and acid phosphatase (AcP) in the culture supernatant was increased. The morphology of AM was damaged. But the toxicity effect of the three dusts was less than that of SiO2 and chrysotile asbestos (CH) in the same dosage. Meanwhile, the functions of AM were changed. The levels of IgG, immunocomplex (IC) and histamine (HIS) were increased. As to the degree of toxicity and ability of stimulating AM to secrete biomedium by the three dusts, the effect of flax was weakest.