Efficacy Of Gastric Lavage In The Treatment Of Oral Paraquat Intoxication In Rabbits

Objictive To evaluate the efficacy of gastric lavage in the treatment of oral paraquat intoxication in rabbits.Methods Fifteen rabbits were randomly divided into three groups. Paraquat of 300mg/kg body weight was administered to each rabbit of three groups through an orogastric tube. Two groups were treated with gastric lavage with tap water or Fuller's Earth suspension respectively 10 minutes following receiving paraquat. Another group acted as the control group. Blood was sampled from the ear vein 1,2,4,12, 24h after the administration of paraquat. Paraquat concentration was determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). All surviving rabbits were sacrificed on the eighth day after intoxication. Selected blocks of lungs, livers and kidneys from the dead rabbits were embedded in paraffin. To compare rabbits's plasma paraquat concentration, tissue injury and surviving condition between the control and gastric lavage groups. If gastric lavage can improve the surviving condition of the rabbits, further study should be implemented through postponing the initiating time for gastric lavage and if gastric lavage can decrease the plasma paraquat concentration, further study should be carried out on the intoxicated groups with a lower dose of 100mgparaquat per kilogram body weight.Results Gastric lavage initiating 10 minutes following intoxication can decrease the plasma paraquat concentration of the groups receiving 300mg/kg paraquat, but it can't improving the surviving condition of the rabbits. Gastric lavage initiating 10 minutes following intoxication can improve the surviving condition of the group receiving lOOmg/kg paraquat orally. The efficacy of gastric lavage disappeared quickly with the initiating time delaying and when gastric lavage started 30 minutes following intoxication , there was no proof to support its efficacy.Conclusion If it was initiated timely, gastric lavage can decrease paraquat absorption in rabbits.lt may be effective to treat oral paraquat intoxication with a certain oral dose scope, but the efficacy of gastric lavage disappeared quickly with the initiating time delaying.The clinical value of gastric lavage for oral paraquat intoxication treatment may be limited for its moderate effect for lowering the plasma paraquat concentration and its unreliable efficacy. It would not be effective unless it is initiated timely enough and it is used to treat certain patient group. In addition, gastric lavage has its own complications and displays the risk for delaying the following effective treatment. It' s important to further evaluate its clinical value and to explore the indications for its use.