Abstract
According to Warburg, 1 , 2 , 3 , both KCN and CO inhibit aerobic respiration but not glycolysis. When aerobic respiration is inhibited, it becomes possible to show that certain redox indicators, such as methylene blue, accelerate aerobic glycolysis as indicated by increased oxygen consumption 4 , 5 .
It was thought that increase in oxygen consumption thus produced by redox indicators might be used to combat the effects of HCN or CO on mammals. Previous workers have confined their attention to the effects of methylene blue used in conjunction with cyanide. Among other things it was found empirically that methylene blue favored the recovery of animals poisoned by cyanide 6 , 7 . Since CO has long been known to resemble CN in its effects on respiration it was thought of interest to see whether methylene blue also favored recovery in animals subjected to CO.
Experiments were carried out using rats which were placed one at a time in a chamber containing HCN gas or CO (about 1%). The time to unconsciousness was noted. As soon as an animal became unconscious it was removed from the chamber and given an intraperitoneal injection of methylene blue. The time required for recovery was determined using as a criterion of recovery the ability to run straight forward. Eighty rats were used; 40 controls and 40 dye-treated.
It was found that the use of methylene blue shortened the time required for recovery from HCN poisoning to about 1/3, and that from CO to about 1/2 of that for untreated animals.
These results suggest that there is an activation of oxygen by methylene blue which manifests itself when aerobic oxidation is interfered with.
It is suggested that methylene blue injections could be used advantageously in cases of HCN or CO poisoning.
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