[The morphofunctional characteristics of the pulmonary air-blood barrier in rats breathing gas mixtures with a high content of hydrogen sulfide].
The influence of gas mixtures with high concentration of pure hydrogen sulphide and natural gas of the Astrakhan deposit (NGAD) upon the morphofunctional state of the aerohematic barrier (AHB) and the surfactant system of the lungs was studied in 80 albino Wistar rats of 180-250 g body weight. The influence of both hydrogen sulphide and NGAD results in the appearance of morphofunctional alterations in the AHB and surfactant system of the lungs. However, if the action of hydrogen sulphide in concentrations of 300-330 and 600-700 mg/m3 is followed not only by pathological manifestations but also by mobilization of certain compensatory-adaptational mechanisms such as reinforcement of pinocytosis, the action of NGAD with the similar concentration of hydrogen sulphide seems to be too toxic, surpassing the possibilities of compensation, and there occurs the development of purely pathological phenomenon--pulmonary edema.