[The influence of heparin on the course of bronchitis experimentally provoked by sulfur dioxide in rats in evaluation of lung histology and cytology of bronchial alveolar lavage fluid].

UNLABELLED: The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of heparin on inflammed bronchial mucosa in rats. Sixty five animals were used in the study; 5 of them constituted the control group, whereas 60 were submitted to long term SO2 irritation in specially constructed chamber, what resulted in chronic bronchitis. Low molecular weight heparin preparation--Frexiparine has been administered in inhalation or parenterally to 40 rats, simultaneously or immediately after SO2 exposition. In all animals exposed to SO2 the BALF evaluation revealed predomination of inflammatory cells. The results obtained in healthy rats were different and BALF cellular sediment contained 92% of epithelial cells. However in animals submitted to SO2 irritation and simultaneous heparin treatment we observed significant increase of the number of inflammatory cells in BALF in comparison to healthy rats but it was not as high when compared to animals irritated only with SO2. In all animals exposed only to SO2 we were able to find disseminate inflammatory changes and/or planoepithelial metaplasia in bronchial specimens. However we did not observe any sings of inflammation in specimens obtained from 50% of heparin treated rats, whereas in the other 50% they were described as mild or moderate.

CONCLUSIONS: 1. Low molecular weight heparin decreased signs of experimentally provoked bronchial inflammation in rats. 2. Simultaneous heparin and SO2 administration was extremely efficient. This finding suggests prophylactic properties of heparin. 3. The heparin activity does not depend on inhalatory or parenteral way of administration.