Protective Action of Carbon Monoxide in Mammalian Whole-Body X-Irradiation

Abstract
Whole-body X-irradiated guinea pigs, rats and rabbits were tested with CO in a variety of treatments. CO was given either by inhalation of 0.1% CO or by intraperitoneal injection of 100% CO. Survival time of animals treated with CO before and/or after X-irradiation was significantly longer (P< 0.01) than irradiated controls. Untreated guinea pigs given 500 r (LD100(30)) died, whereas 50% of the guinea pigs treated with CO before and after irradiation and 15% of those treated only after exposure survived the 30-day test period. This difference in % survival is significant (P< 0.05). The increase in survival time due to pre-irradiation CO treatment is not surprising, since it can be explained by hypoxia. However, at present there is no explanation for the slight though significant protection afforded by CO when given 0-45 minutes after irradiation.

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