Effectiveness of antioxidant and membrane oxygenator in acute respiratory distress syndrome by endotoxin

This study evaluated the effectiveness of antioxidants in animal models with damaged lungs such as inflammatory mediator-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and established an ARDS therapy technique by suppressing active oxygen with membrane oxygenator. When inflammatory mediator that has an endotoxin, such as LPS, was injected directly into the airway, inflammatory pulmonary edema developed in the lung, and could induce ARDS. To treat such endotoxin-induced ARDS, the antioxidants such as taurine and dexamethasone were injected and their antioxidant effects were evaluated. They turned the blood pH to the normal condition, increased blood hemoglobin and hemocrit concentration and oxygen partial pressure (PO₂), and improved survival. When a membrane oxygenator was used alone on the animal models with ARDS, similar antioxidant effects were identified. When a membrane oxygenator and antioxidants were used simultaneously, synergistic antioxidant effects were revealed. Therefore, the simultaneous use of antioxidants and membrane oxygenator is more effective than the use of either of them in treating the animal models with ARDS. This result indicates that bilateral use of antioxidants and membrane oxygenator may be useful as a potential therapy technique for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome.