Toxicology
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The present study investigated antioxidant status in lavage fluid, lung, liver, heart and kidney in a rat model to simulate an inhalation injury as might be encountered by firefighters and burn victims. Anesthetized rats received either a 20% total body surface area (TBSA) full thickness scald or a sham burn. After a 5 h recovery period, half of the animals in the burn or sham burn groups were exposed to cooled western bark (fir and pine) smoke for 16.25 min. ⋯ TBARS were also elevated in liver, but not in heart or kidney in response to burn or combined injury. Minor effects on lung antioxidant enzyme activities were observed after smoke inhalation. These data suggest that smoke inhalation, independent of burn injury, induces an oxidant stress that persists for at least the first 48 h after smoke exposure.