Objective: To observe the effect of aminophylline on physiological and pathological changes in acute exposure to high altitude in rats.
Methods: A total of 21 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a plain group (altitude 55 m), a high altitude hypoxia group (altitude 4 300 m), and a high altitude hypoxia plus aminophylline group. After 5 days, blood from orbital venous was collected for analyzing biochemical parameters. Blood from abdominal aorta was collected for analyzing the parameters of blood gas. The tissues of brain, lung, and kidney were dissected for pathological observation.
Results: Compared with the plain group, the parameters of LDH, ALP, Urea and cCl? in the hypoxia group or the aminophylline treatment group were significantly increased (P<0.01), while the parameters of ALB, Cr, SatO₂, Hb, Hct, PaCO₂, PaO₂2, BB and BE were significantly reduced (P<0.01). Compared with the hypoxia group, the parameters of Cr, pH, Hct, cNa⁺, cCl⁻ in the aminophylline treatment group were significantly increased (P<0.01), while AST, ALT, ALB, PaCO₂ and cK⁺ were significantly decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Pathological results showed the brain, lung and liver tissues were obviously damaged in the hypoxia group compared with that in the plain group. These damages were significantly attenuated by aminophylline.
Conclusion: Aminophylline can improve blood gas and biochemical parameters in acute exposure to high altitude in rats. It can protect rat brain, lung and liver from the damage caused by acute high altitude, which may be related its effects on relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle and inhibition of inflammation.