The effects of salbutamol in an experimental model with acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract

Objective: To investigate salbutamol effects on histopathologic features of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods: ARDS was designed in Wistar albino male rats, 250–300 g in weight, by intratracheal instillation of physiological saline solution. Anesthezied and tracheotomized rats with ARDS were pressure-controlled ventilated. At the end of the 210 minutes, two hours past and nebulized salbutamol inhalation was tried. All rats were assigned to two groups: Group 1 (n=10) control group, given no treatment, group 2 (n=10) received salbutamol. Nebulized salbutamol inhalation was given in the dosage of 0, 15 mg/kg/dose. Rats were continued to be on ventilator through the experiment. After the last inhalation, two hours past and their both lungs were excised for histopathological examination. Results: Rat-model ARDS had similar histopathological appearance occuring during the acute phase of the acute respiratory distress syndrome in humans. A statistical difference was seen between control and salbutamol group (P=0.002) for HM. The margination of leukocytes was decreased in salbutamol group. The difference was significant (P<0.042). Hemorrhage and interstitial/intraalveolar edema were much lower in 0.15 mg/dose nebulized salbutamol group than that of control group. There was a significant difference statistically between two groups (P<0.001). Conclusions: Inhaled salbutamol therapy for ARDS is may be associated with the improvement of inflamation. Besides known effects of salbutamol, the reducing of infiltration of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes, interstitial/intraalveolar edema, perivascular and/or intraalveolar hemorrhage and hyaline membrane formation should be emphasized.

Keywords

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Salbutamol
• Rat
• Hyaline membrane
• Edema
• Critically ill
• Hemorrhage