Complement Consumption by Paramecium Caudatum Culture in Normal Fresh Sera and Its Significance in the Prognosis of Radiation Sickness in Rats

Summary

The culture of protista Paramecium caudatum grown on wheat medium consumes complement in normal fresh rat sera. This reaction was used as the criterion of damage in rats subjected to whole-body irradiation. The results are expressed as the number of minimum haemolytic doses (NMHD) of the complement fixed in the presence of the Paramecium culture. The higher the NMHD the more intensive the reaction and vice versa. NMHD values show considerable individual differences. They decrease, however, after the lethal or sub-lethal x-ray irradiation. High NMHD values in rats examined shortly before or after irradiation indicate a more favourable prognosis in the survival as the low values of NMHD.