[Studies of sulfhemoglobin formation by various drugs (4). Influences of various antidotes on chemically induced methemoglobinemia and sulfhemoglobinemia (author's transl)].

The influences of methylene blue (MB), thionine, ascorbic acid (ASA), sodium thiosulfate (STS), N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine (MPG) and reduced glutathione (GSH) on methemoglobin-(MHb)-emia and sulf-hemoglobin (SHb)-emia induced by 4-chloroaniline (4-Cl-A) i.p. were studied. Preventive or therapeutic effect on MHb-emia and preventive effect on SHb-emia in mice: MHb formation was inhibited by MB i.p. whether it was administered simultaneously with or after 4-Cl-A, but SHb formation was increased. Similar effects were seen with thionine. Both compounds proved to have MHb and SHb forming activities. STS or MPG, if administered i.p. simultaneously with 4-Cl-A, inhibited formation of MHb, but exerted no effect on delayed SHb formation. However, if administered i.p. or i.v. 120 minutes after 4-Cl-A when the peak of MHb formation had passed, there was a preventive effect on delayed SHb formation. GSH inhibited MHb formation and prevented SHb formation only when it was administered i.v. 120 minutes after 4-Cl-A. ASA did not inhibit MHb formation when it was administered either i.p. or i.v., but showed a preventive effect on SHb formation, if administered 120 minutes after 4-Cl-A. Combined i.v. administration of the corresponding doses to the clinical ones of MB and ASA 120 minutes after 4-Cl-A showed a therapeutic effect on MHb-emia and a preventive effect on SHb-emia. However, at higher dose levels, MB masked the preventive effect of ASA on SHb-emia. Therapeutic effect on SHb-emia in mice and rats: None of MB, STS, GSH and ASA proved to have any therapeutic effects for established SHb-emia. On the basis of these results, significance of clinical usage of drugs in the treatment of chemically induced MHb-emia and SHb-emia is discussed.