The role of N-acetyl-cysteine in the lung remote injury after hepatic ischemia and reperfusion in rabbits.

Purpose: To study the lesions in the lung of rabbits caused by ischemia/reperfusion hepatic (I/R) after the use of N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC).
Methods: Twenty-four rabbits distributed in two groups: control group GI (n = 12) 5% glucose solution and experiment group GII (n = 12) NAC. The animals were pre-anesthetized with 1% acepromazine maleate and anesthetized with ketamine 10% and 2% xylazine intramuscularly. The GI and GII were given glucose solution intravenously or NAC 15 min before occlusion of the hepatic pedicle (30 min). After the period of reperfusion of 24h (n = 6) or 48 h (n = 6), liver and lung samples were collected for histology and immunohistochemistry to assess the impairment of cell.
Results: The animals of GII and GII-24h-48 h showed parenchyma liver close to normal, when using NAC. The GII and GII-24h-48 h showed lower thickness of alveolar cells that GI and GI-24h-48 h. The expression of caspase 3 in lung cells GII presented smaller value compared to the GI group.
Conclusion: N-acetyl-cysteine administered 15 min prior to the injury ischemia/reperfusion had a significant protective role by minimizing lung injury and apoptotic morphology in the period observed.