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EFFECTS OF MORPHINE SULPHATE ON CAPILLARY FILTRATION AND THORACIC DUCT LYMPH FORMATION IN THE RAT
Author(s) -
Woolley G
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1961.57
Subject(s) - lymph , thoracic duct , capillary action , filtration (mathematics) , medicine , anesthesia , saline , chemistry , morphine , materials science , pathology , statistics , mathematics , composite material
SUMMARY Rats with chronic experimental fistulae of the thoracic duct were maintained post‐operatively on regimes of saline infusion given either intravenously or intragastrically. A narcotizing dose of morphine sulphate reduced lymph flow during intravenous infusion but not during intragastric infusion. This could be interpreted as due to reduction of capillary filtration rather than reduction of fluid absorption from the gut or diminished lymph propulsion. Morphia initiated a moderate hypotension of at least seven hours' duration. This hypotension was sustained well beyond the time during which lymph flow was reduced. Portal pressure and flow appeared to be unaffected by morphia. The reduced filtration following morphia has been tentatively attributed to a reduction in filtering area of the abdominal capillary bed rather than to lowered capillary filtering pressure.