Disturbances in Energy Metabolism during Traumatic Shock and Their Pharmacological Correction

In compression traumatic shock caused by mechanical crushing of the lower limbs and eventuating in death of 80% animals, hemodynamic disorders by the end of day 1 lead to the development of energy deficiency most pronounced in skeletal muscles and less pronounced in the liver and kidneys. Energy production in the brain and heart was not impaired. Inhibition of ATP synthesis correlated with decreased SOD activity in organs, but not always with activation of lipid peroxidation, which can occur without concomitant disorders in energy metabolism (in the heart and brain). Therapy with succinate-containing hydroxypyridine derivative decreased animal mortality to 10%; this treatment did not modify hemodynamic parameters, but normalized energy metabolism in organs and activity of the antioxidant and prooxidant systems. These findings suggest that tissue (bioenergetic) hypoxia plays an important role in the pathogenesis of compression traumatic shock and that antihypoxic drugs are essential components of therapy of this condition.