[Experimental exposure to carbon monoxide in rats (I)--Relation between the degree of carboxyhemoglobin saturation and the amount of carbon monoxide in the organ tissues of rats].Nihon Hoigaku Zasshi. 1994 Feb; 48(1):19-25.NH
This paper presents the correlation between the degree of carboxyhemoglobin saturation and the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in the organ tissues of rats. The experiment was performed to make male rats of the Sprague Dawley strain inhalate air containing 0.195% carbon monoxide in the exposure apparatus. Five experimental groups of various degrees of carboxyhemoglobin saturation were made by controlling the length of exposure time to CO gas (0.195% CO in air). After exposure to CO gas, the rats were killed by nitrogen gas. The carboxyhemoglobin saturation levels (COHb%) of each of the experimental group were 12.2 +/- 1.16, 31.6 +/- 2.38, 42.4 +/- 2.11, 52.3 +/- 1.81 and 73.6 +/- 3.01. Immediately following the death of the rats, blood from the right ventricle and several organ tissues were collected and analysed for CO by means of an Ecolyzer Model 2600 (CO analyzer). The order of CO amount in their organ tissues in decreasing order was blood > spleen divided by liver > lung > kidney divided by myocardium > encephalon divided by pectoral muscles. There was a good positive correlation between the degree of carboxy hemoglobin saturation (y%) and the CO content (x microliter/g) in the organ tissues examined. The results obtained were as follows: [table: see text] This report might be useful for deciding the cause of death for a burned cadaver who was discovered in a fire.
