RESUMEN
Objective To explore the effect of sucralfate on cytokines in rats with paraquat (PQ) poisoning. Methods Seventy-two healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into PQ model group, sodium bicarbonate intervention group (SB group) and sucralfate suspension gel group (LTL group), with 24 rats in each group. The rat model of PQ poisoning was reproduced by one-time intragastric administration of PQ solution 25 mg/kg. The rats in SB group and LTL group were intragastricly administrated with 5 mL·kg-1·d-1of 100 g/L sodium bicarbonate or 200 g/L sucralfate at 2 hours after exposing to PQ, and the rats in PQ model group were given the same amount of sterile saline. The abdominal aortic blood of rats was collected at 1, 3, 6, and 10 days after PQ poisoning, and the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The left lung tissue was harvested, and lung wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio was assessed. Results With prolonged exposure, lung W/D ratios in all the groups were increased gradually, reached the peak at 10 days, but in the SB group and LTL group, the amplitude of increase was obviously reduced, the ratios were significantly decreased at 6 days and 10 days as compared with those in PQ model group (SB group vs. PQ model group: 4.99±0.79 vs. 6.98±0.86 at 6 days, 5.61±0.36 vs. 7.36±0.95 at 10 days; LTL group vs. PQ model group: 4.61±0.24 vs. 6.98±0.86 at 6 days, 4.24±0.20 vs. 7.36±0.95 at 10 days, all P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between SB group and LTL group (all P > 0.05). After PQ poisoning, the levels of TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β1 were elevated, and reached the peak at 3 days and then decreased gradually. Compared with the PQ model group, serum TNF-α, IL-10 and TGF-β1 levels in SB group and LTL group were decreased significantly [SB group vs. PQ model group: 3-day TNF-α (ng/L) was 147.6±12.3 vs. 168.2±11.3, 3-day IL-10 (ng/L) was 65.4±3.2 vs. 115.1±9.2, 3-day TGF-β1 (ng/L) was 356.3±50.3 vs. 415.6±68.3; LTL group vs. PQ model group: 3-day TNF-α (ng/L) was 82.2±7.4 vs. 168.2±11.3, 3-day IL-10 (ng/L) was 44.4±5.2 vs.115.1±9.2, 3-day TGF-β1 (ng/L) was 296.3±40.2 vs. 415.6±68.3, all P < 0.05], especially in LTL group (all P < 0.05). Conclusion Early gastrointestinal lavage with sucralfate could effectively reduce the inflammatory exudation in lung tissue after PQ poisoning, and inhibit the cytokine secretion.