ENZYMATIC PROFILE OF LUNG LAVAGE FLUID AFTER CHRONIC MONOCROTALINE INGESTION

Monocrotaline, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid when administered to rats caus es severe pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy. Ac ute toxicity of substances in the lung can be assessed by studying the enzymic profile of the lavage fluid. Study of the airway fluids in mo nocrotaline administered rats showed increased levels of lactate dehyd rogenase, acid and alkaline phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydroge nase and protein. Histopathological evaluation of the lung correlated well with the enzymic profile of the lavage fluid.