Levodopa in Treatment of Decompression Sickness and of Air Embolism Induced Paraplegia in Rats

摘要

The objectives of this work were to study protective effects and mechanisms of action of levodopa, glycerol and other agents in the prevention and recovery from induced paralysis and in prevention and recovery from experimentally induced decompression sickness. To induce paralysis, various methods were employed, as for instance intravascular injections of air, clamping the abdominal aorta and administration of carbon microspheres. Decompression sickness was induced after a sudden compression-decompression. Rats and rabbits were used in the experiments. For better clarity, the work done during the last 5 years is divided into two parts: (a) air or microsphere embolization studies, and (b) experimental decompression studies.