Acute hemorrhage and oxygen free radicals

Oxygen free radicals are known to produce cellular injury. There are various mechanisms during hemorrhagic shock that can lead to an increase in the oxy gen free radicals, which would produce a loss of membrane integrity and a decrease in cardiac function and cardiac contractility. The authors studied the effect of acute hemorrhage and reperfusion on the hemodynamics, blood lac tate, and oxygen free radicals.Dogs were divided into two groups, group I, hemorrhagic shock and reinfu sion; group II, hemorrhagic shock and reinfusion with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase treatment. The dogs were bled (50% of the estimated blood volume) over a period of five to twelve minutes. After an hour of bleeding, the shed blood was transfused over twenty to twenty-five minutes. Group II re ceived SOD (0.7 mg/kg, IV) and catalase (0.7 mg/kg, IV) within ten minues of bleeding. The hemodynamic measurements and collection of blood samples for measurement of oxygen free radicals and lactate were made before hemorrhage a...