Therapeutic effects of hypobaric hypoxia on asthma in guinea pigs

AIM:To explore the mechanismof the therapeutic effect of hypobaric hypoxia on allergic asthmas guinea pigs.METHODS:After the model of asthma was established with oval bumin(OA)challenge i n OA sensitized guinea pigs,the ani mals were randomized i nto the asthmas group(AG),the alleviative group(ALG)and hypobaric hypoxiatreated group(HHTG).The levels of plasma cortisol and endothelin(ET),ET in bronchoalveolar lavage fl ui d(BALF)were deter mi ned by radioi mmunoassay.The pul monary pathological changes were observed with optical microscope.RESULTS:(1)Infiltration of eosinophils(EOS)in alveolar septumwas found in AGand ALG,while it was re-duced in HHTG.(2)The level of plasma cortisol was significantly higher in AGthanin normal control group(NCG)(P<0.01).But it was significantly lower in ALGthani n NCG(P<0.01),there was no difference in plasma cortisol level between HHTG and NCG.(3)The content of ET in plasma was significantly higher in ALGthanthat i n NCG,AG and HHTG(P<0.01),and ET level in BALF was significantly higher in AG than that in NCG,ALG and HHTG(P<0.05),however,no significant difference was found among the latter three groups, respectively.CONCLUSION:After the treatment with hypobaric hypoxia,the ET levels of the plasma and BALF were decreaced and the content of plasma cortisol was increaced,and infiltration of EOS in alveolar septum was decreaced in asthmatic gui nea pigs.That may be one of the mechanisms by which hypobavic hypoxia prevents and cures asthma.