INHIBITION OF PLASMA EXTRAVASATION AFTER BURNS BY D-MYO-INOSITOL-1,2,6-TRISPHOSPHATE USING DIGITAL IMAGE COLOUR ANALYSIS

D-myo-inositol-1,2,6-triphosphate (1,2,6-IP3) has beneficial effects in experimental, progressive burn-induced ischaemia and oedema. A 1 cm2 full-thickness burn was made in the skin of 20 rats with a hot aluminium rod followed by infusion of 1,2,6-IP3 (60 mg.kg.-1 h-1) or isotonic saline (n = 10 in each group). One hour later Evans blue was injected intravenously. Colour photographs of the area of the burn were taken in a standard manner before the burn and at intervals for three hours afterwards. The photographs were analysed by digital image colour analysis using normalised red-green-blue values. The increase in normalised blue values between 60 and 180 minutes after the burn was significantly reduced in animals treated with 1,2,6-IP3 compared with control animals (p0.001). Spectrophotometric analysis of extravasated Evans blue in the skin 180 minutes after the burn showed that it had been significantly inhibited by treatment with 1,2,6-IP3 (p0.001). In conclusion, digital image analysis allowed repeated evaluation over time and confirmed previous data about the ability of 1,2,6-IP3 to inhibit extravasation of plasma after burns.