RESUMO
Multiple organ failure (MOF) can be induced by sterile intraperitoneal injection of zymosan in the rat. This results in a typical triphasic illness with maximal clinical signs at Days 2 and 12. In this model, superoxide production and lipid peroxidation closely correlate with the triphasic clinical illness. In the present experiment we studied the effect of albumin conjugated superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) on lipid peroxidation and organ damage in the acute phase (Days 1 and 2). Lipid peroxidation in plasma was significantly decreased by SOD and CAT but clinical condition, mortality, and organ damage did not improve. We conclude that oxygen radical damage is not a key factor in the pathogenesis of the acute phase of multiple organ failure.
