INHIBITION OF PLASMA EXTRAVASATION AFTER BURNS BY D-MYO-INOSITOL-1 ,2,6-TRISPHOSPHATE USING DIGITAL IMAGE COLOR ANALYSIS

D-myo-inositol-1,2,6-trisphosphate (1,2,6-IP3) has beneficial effects in experimental, progressive burn-induced ischaemia and oedema. A 1 cm (2) full-thickness burn was made in the skin of 20 rats with a hot alu minium rod followed by infusion of 1,2,6-IP3 (60 mg.kg.(-1)h(-1)) or i sotonic saline (n = 10 in each group). One hour later Evans blue was i njected intravenously. Colour photographs of the area of the burn were taken in a standard manner before the burn and at intervals for three hours afterwards. The photographs were analysed by digital image colo ur analysis using normalised red-green-blue values. The increase in no rmalised blue values between 60 and 180 minutes after the burn was sig nificantly reduced in animals treated with 1,2,6-IP3 compared with con trol animals (p < 0.001). Spectrophotometric analysis of extravasated Evans blue in the skin 180 minutes after the burn showed that it had b een significantly inhibited by treatment with 1,2,6-IP3 (p < 0.001). I n conclusion, digital image analysis allowed repeated evaluation over time and confirmed previous data about the ability of 1,2,6-IP3 to inh ibit extravasation of plasma after burns.