Antidyspnoeic Action of Para-Aminobenzoic Acid: Modifications of the Functional Respiratory Indexes in the Patients Treated

In 22 chronic bronchopulmonary patients with respiratory insufficiency and varied degrees of dyspnoea the functional modifications after intravenous or intramuscular para-aminobenzoic acid administration were established. Fifteen minutes after the intravenous injection (10 cc. of sodium salt at 5 per cent) an increase of oxygen in arterial blood and the hemoglobin saturation (from 85.9 to 92.6) could generally be observed, and the oxygen consumption decreased (from 301 cc. to 241 cc. average per minute). The apnoeic inspiratory pause increased (from 26 to 30 seconds), the vital capacity (from 2046 cc. to 2132 cc. average), the reserve air (from 502 to 624 cc.) the respiratory minute volume (from 11.4 to 13.1 liters), the respiratory maximum volume (from 39.5 to 42.3 liters) and the number of respirations diminished (from 28 to 24 per minute). It is being considered that the favourable action of PAB on the anoxic states of bronchopulmonary origin is principally due to its antioxidizing capacity.