The role of N-acetyl-cysteine in the lung remote injury after hepatic ischemia and reperfusion in rabbits

purpose: to study the lesions in the lung of rabbits caused by ischemia/reperfusion hepatic (i/r) after the use of n-acetyl-cysteine (nac). methods: twenty-four rabbits distributed in two groups: control group gi (n = 12) 5% glucose solution and experiment group gii (n = 12) nac. the animals were pre-anesthetized with 1% acepromazine maleate and anesthetized with ketamine 10% and 2% xylazine intramuscularly. the gi and gii were given glucose solution intravenously or nac 15min before occlusion of the hepatic pedicle (30 min). after the period of reperfusion of 24h (n = 6) or 48h (n = 6), liver and lung samples were collected for histology and immunohistochemistry to assess the impairment of cell. results: the animals of gii and gii-24h-48h showed parenchyma liver close to normal, when using nac. the gii and gii-24h-48h showed lower thickness of alveolar cells that gi and gi-24h-48h. the expression of caspase 3 in lung cells gii presented smaller value compared to the gi group. conclusion: n-acetyl-cysteine administered 15min prior to the injury ischemia/reperfusion had a significant protective role by minimizing lung injury and apoptotic morphology in the period observed.