[The etiologic role of thermal injury on the induction of NO and NOS in plasma, burned wounds and visceral organs].

Using a 35% TBSA burned animal moedl, we investigated the levels of NO contents (nitritc concentration assay) and NOS (hemoglobulin absorbent optical density test) in the burned wound, circulation, as well as five visceral organs which inluded heart, lung, liver, kidney and intestine mucosa. Samples were obtained from scalded male Wistar rats at 1 hour postburn (PBh1)PBh3, PBh8, PBh12, PBh24, PBh48 and PBh72, respectively. Samples of sham burned rats were obtained as controls. The plasma level of NO concentration was decreased within 72 hours postburn especially at PBh3, 8, 12, 24, 48 (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01). This was in agreement with our findings in the ESR assay. The cutaneous NO cotents was 3.8 to 57.8 times higher than that of plasma and other visceral organs. It is thus possible for burned skin tissue to be an important sites in the production of NO. However, the cutaneous NO might have little systemic influences and can only be a local fator due to its short half-life. The close relationship of changes in the NO and NOS in five visceral organs postburn provided strong evidence on the function of NOS as NO premerase.