Effect of flunixin meglumine alone and in combination on haemodynamics during bovine endotoxic shock and after treatment

To investigate the effect of Flunixin meglumine- a NSAID; alone and in combination with hypertonic saline on endotoxemic buffalo calves, two groups of five apparently healthy male buffalo calves aged between 6-8 months were subjected to I.V. infusion of E.coli endotoxin at the rate of 5 mu g/kg BW per hour for 3 hours. A highly significant (P < 0.01) fall in mean systolic,diastolic, pulse, mean arterial pressure (M.A.P), central venous pressure (C.V.P) and haemoglobin was observed till the end of endotoxin infusion while respiratory rate was significantly elevated along with a non-significant alteration in rectal temperature and hematocrit during the infusion of endotoxin. Immediately at the end of endotoxin infusion, flunixin meglumine at the rate of 1.1 mg/kg B.W was infused i.v. in group-I animals and group-II animals were infused with hypertonic saline solution (H.S.S.) at the rate of 4 ml/Kg BW as one time infusion followed by flunixin meglumine at the rate of 1.1 mg/kg B.W which resulted in increase of various parameters either to normal or very close to normal value while the rectal temperature and haematocrit decreased non-significantly throughout the observation period of 7 hours. No improvement in Hb and respiration was observed consequent to FM administration. Both treatments successfully raised systolic, diastolic, pulse pressure, C.V.P & M.A.P to normal pre-infusion values. From the results of the present investigation, it can be concluded that i.v. infusion of FM alone and in combination with hypertonic saline solution in endotoxemic buffalo calves effectively restores the various hemodynamic parameters close to normal pre-infusion values and it can be used as immediate resuscitation measure to provide the clinician valuable time to plan further long term treatment.