The Ameliorative Effects of Ethyl Pyruvate and Dimethyl Sulfoxide on Ischemic Tissue Injury in Experimental Carbon Monoxide Intoxication

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of ethyl pyruvate (EP) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) against ischemic tissue in brain, cardiac and hepatic tissue in experimentally induced carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication.

Material and Methods: Thirty-five mature female Sprague Dawley rats were randomized into five groups of seven animals each. Group-I received no CO or treatment. Rats in groups II,III,IV and V were made to inhale a high-concentration 5000 ppm CO gas mixture for 60 min at 4 L/min. CO levels were then measured from 1ml tail vein blood. Group-II received no therapeutic agent, Group-III received 6 mg/kg intraperitoneal (ip) DMSO, Group-IV received 50 mg/kg ip EP, Group-V received 50mg/kg EP and 6mg/kg DMSO ip. All rats were sacrificed by decapitation. Brain, cardiac and hepatic tissues were removed and histopathological scores were compared.

Results: Comparison of Group-II with Group-III and Group-II with Group-V revealed that DMSO alone and EP+DMSO exhibited a reducing effect on degree of cerebral neuronal alteration, degenerative neuron rates, and total cardiac injury score (p=0.005, p=0.002, p=0.004 and p=0.002, p=0.001, p=0.004 respectively). There was not any histopathological difference between Group-II and Group-IV suggesting EP alone has no therapeutic effect on histopathological injury.

Conclusion: Based on our study findings, EP administered alone exhibited no protective effects against the organ injuries investigated, while DMSO exhibited reducing effects on degree of neuron alteration, rates of degenerative neurons, and total cardiac injury scores. An ameliorating effect on cardiac and hepatic injury was more prominent with combined treatment.