Modulating influence of wistar rats’ oxygen status on behavioural manifestations of nitrogen narcosis: experimental study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE of the study is to determine the influence of changing oxygen status in the animal’s body on nitrogen toxic effect under pressure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hyperbaric chamber was used to create normothermic effect of hyperbaric nitrogen up to 4,1 MPa amid changing oxygen concentration from 0,03 to 0,004 MPa, recording rats’ motor activity and posture reflexes. RESULTS: Oxygen decrease in the respiratory gas medium from 0,021 to 0,004 MPa due to nitrogen compression raised biphasic sensitivity of Wistar rates to nitrogen toxic effect. Yet in the sites of non-compensable hypoxia sensitivity to hyperbaric nitrogen effect increased 4,5 times. Preliminary exposure of pregnant rats in hypoxia led to decrease in the offspring’s sensitivity to toxic effect of hyperbaric nitrogen by 35% on average after reaching puberty. DISCUSSION: The obtained data allows to regard toxic effect of hyperbaric nitrogen as oxygen-dependent process. While hypoxia along with hyperbaric nitrogen effect enhances nitrogen narcosis, hypoxia, prior to nitrogen compression, reduces intoxication of this gas.