Cytotoxic action reduction of crystalline silicon dioxide in a toxicological experiment associated with Lymphomyosot

Abstract

Introduction. Among the most relevant issues in occupational health is the risk management of the contamination of working air by crystalline silicon dioxide (CSD) in enterprises dealing with its extraction and processing. Cytotoxicity of this silicon type that underlies its fibrogenic action is of particular concern. Thereby, it is an urgent goal to find drugs that increase the body’s resistance to cytotoxic effects of silicon dioxide. Materials and methods. For the study of changes in the cellular composition of the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and some of its biochemical characteristics, a respirable portion of Pervouralsk quartzite (PQ) containing 98% CSD was inserted intratracheally to outbred white female rats in the form of a suspension of 10 mg of PQ in 1 ml of distilled water in the dose of 1 ml. Student’s t-test was applied for statistical analysis of the obtained data. Results. PQ sample induces the alveolar phagocytosis response typical for cytotoxic dust expressed by an increase in the total BAL cell count, the number of both alveolar macrophages (AM) and neutrophilic leukocytes (NL), and particularly the NL/AM ratio (which is a reliable comparative index of cytotoxicity). The administration of «Lymphomyosot» considerably reduced this cytotoxic effect of PQ within one month before the intratracheal injection. It showed a decrease in NL/AM ratio and some biochemical indicators of cytolysis in BAL. Conclusion. There was demonstrated the applicability of «Lymphomyosot» as a precaution against the cytotoxic effect of CSD dust.