THE EFFECTS OF BACLOFEN ON THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Baclofen is a muscle relaxant. Due to its pronounced psychotropic effect the drug is often a subject of abuse especially among young people. The article deals with the dynamics of respiratory movement rate and lung histopathology in acute baclofen poisoning. The experimental studies were performed on 20 Wistar rats. The animals were divided into 4 groups (the controls and three experimental groups). The controls included 5 intact rats. The experimental groups included 5 animals each. All of them were treated with baclofen at a dosage of 85 mg/kg. The duration of the experiment was 3, 4,5 and 24 hours, respectively. The frequency of respiratory movements after baclofen intoxication decreased by the 3rd hour insignificantly. Then it increased significantly by the 4,5 hour if compared to the controls and the 3rd hour. Then, by the 24th hour, the frequency of respiratory movements decreased significantly if compared to all the other groups. Within histological study we revealed a complex of pathological changes in the lungs of the rats (circulatory disorders in all the elements of the microcirculatory bed (plethora of capillaries, venules), areas of emphysema, atelectasis and dystelectasis, WBC infiltration of intraalveolar septa and thickening of intraalveolar septa due to edema. Understanding the processes that occur in the lungs after baclofen poisoning will help to improve medical care in these cases. The results of histological study along with the results of chemical analysis will be useful in establishing the fact of baclofen intoxication and the exact moment of the intoxication.