Surfactant in the Water Balance of the Lungs after Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Conditions of Capsaicin Blockade of the Vagus Nerve

Abstract

We report here our studies of the surfactant system and the water balance of the lungs after intracerebral hemorrhage in conditions of bilateral capsaicin blockade of the vagus nerve. The fractional composition of alveolar phospholipids was studied by thin layer chromatography; the surface activity of surfactants was studied using a modified Wilhelm method; measures of pulmonary water balance were calculated using dry and wet lung weights. Intracerebral hemorrhage was accompanied by degradation of surface-active properties, a decrease in the total phospholipid content of surfactant, changes in their fractional composition, and hyperhydration of the lungs. When the neuropeptide depot in capsaicin-sensitive afferents of the vagus nerves was depleted, changes in the surface activity of the lungs became more marked and the total phospholipid content of surfactant and measures of pulmonary water balance normalized. These results show that capsaicin-sensitive afferents of the vagus nerve play an important role in impaired surfactant functions and pulmonary water balance after intracerebral hemorrhage.