Treatment of ammonia intoxication in rats with urea cycle amino acids, furosemide and fluids
Kitamura, S.Satiko.; Ortolani, E.Lippi.; Mori, C.Satsuki.; Maruta, C.Akio.; Antonelli, A.Coutinho.; Sucupira, M.Claudia.Araripe.; dos Santos Michima, L.Emy.
Veterinary and Human Toxicology 45(2): 65-67
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0145-6296 PMID: 12678288 Document Number: 561765
A total of 367 male Wistar rats were used to compare the efficiency of urea cycle amino acids (arginine, citrulline and ornithine; Group O), furosemide (Group F), and fluid therapy (saline solution; Group FT) to treat ammonia toxicity. Rats were injected i.p. initially with an ammonium acetate solution at 99.9% of the lethal dose. Three minutes later the rats were allocated randomly to Group C (control, received 1.2 mL distilled water), Group O (amino acids listed earlier, 2 mmol/kg bw), Group F (furosemide, 2 mg/kg bw), Group FT (7 mL saline), or Groups O+F, O+FT, F+FT, or O+F+FT. All treatments were given i.p. except for Group F given i.m. injections. Plasma ammonia, urea and creatinine, and hematocrit and pulmonary dry matter were determined. The highest survival rates were obtained with O+FT (57%) and O+F+FT (62.5%): only 6% of the controls survived. Plasma ammonia levels were ten-fold lower in rats treated with O+FT and O+F+FT (P<0.0001). Fatally-poisoned rats had higher plasma ammonia, creatinine and hematocrit and exhibited pulmonary oedema. Surviving rats had lower plasma urea. Animals given treatments with O, FT and F had (P<0.005) higher urea, lower creatinine and less severe pulmonary oedema, respectively, than those untreated.