Prevention of Aconitine-induced Neurogenic Pulmonary Edema (NPE) with Hypovolemia or Methylprednisolone

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Bilateral injections of aconitine in the preoptic-anterior hypothalamic area in rats produced pulmonary edema mediated by neurogenic mechanisms. The efficacy of hypovolemia or i.v. methylprednisolone on preventing aconitine-induced pulmonary edema was studied. Rats made hypovolemic before or after injection of aconitine or treated with 40 mg/kg methylprednisolone had normal lung weight-to-body weight ratios (LW/BW) and normal pulmonary ultrastructure. High LW/BW and gross ultrastructural alterations were noted in rats injected with aconitine only. Apparently, hypovolemia was effective in preventing aconitine-induced neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) because it lowered the pulmonary blood volume, and methylprednisolone provided a beneficial effect by suppressing the hemodynamic response involved in NPE or by directly stabilizing the cell membranes.