Abstract: AIM: To investigate the preventive effects of benthiactzine against respiratory failure induced by cholinesterase inhibitor DDVP in rats. METHODS: 40 healthy Wistar male rats were divided into 4 groups randomly: poisoning group, benthiactzine 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg preventive groups. Rats were poisoned with DDVP (i.p.) for 30 min after benthiactzine was injected beforehand. The symptoms, respiratory rate, blood gas analysis and the pathological change were observed. RESULTS: After DDVP poisoning, the rats of poisoning group all died within 3-5 min with the symptoms of fasciculation, cyanosis and convulsion et al. The rats of benthiactzine preventive groups showed mild N symptoms such as fasciculation and weakness, and then recovered. The blood gas analysis demonstrated no damages caused by the poison. The lung tissue slides of poisoning group with HE staining showed that the pulmonary vessels were dilated and filled with erythrocytes, pulmonary intervals became wide and red blood cells could be seen in alveolar and bronchial cavities, and many inflammatory cells accumulated, pulmonary edema and hemorrhage appeared. The lung tissues of rats in preventive groups were normal. CONCLUSION: Benthiactzine can effectively prevent respiratory failure induced by DDVP.

Key words: Benthiactzine, Cholinesterase inhibitor, Organophoorus pesticides, DDVP, Respiratory failure