Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen and $\alpha$-Tocopherol on Skin Antioxidant Enzymes Defence in Rats

In order to test the effects of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) and $\alpha$-tocopherol on full-thickness skin grafts in rats, we peeformed full-thickness skin grafts bilaterally on rats. After surgery, we analyzed the tissue-concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase(GPx)/reductase(GPr) on days 0, 2, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21 and 28. The four groups had similar patterns of change in SOD, catalase, GPx and GPr values. SOD increased initially, and was significantly increased at day 7, returning to the preoperative activity level on day 14 (control, HBO, and $\alpha$-tocopherol treated alone) and 28 (HBO plus $\alpha$-tocopherol). Catalase had a similar pattern of change as the SOD enzyme activity, except for the surgical control on day 2. Glutathione peroxidase/reductase activity in the four groups had a similar pat-tern of enzyme activity, with a significant increase from preoperative level on day 4, peaking during days 7 to 10, and returning to preoperative level on day 21(surgical control, HBO, and $\alpha$-tocopherol-treated alone) and 28 (HBO plus $\alpha$-tocopherol treated group). Hence, the clinical use of HBO and $\alpha$-tocopherol mixture can be recommended as an adjunctive treatment for free skin grafts in rats. But, the antioxidant used, its dose, and the timing of its administration, as well as, the exposure time and the pressure of HBO, should be the subject of further research.