Effect of mabuterol on tracheal mucociliary clearance of magnetized iron particles in anesthetized dogs

We studied the effect of mabuterol on the tracheal mucociliary clearance of magnetized iron particles in anesthetized dogs. A catheter was inserted directly into the trachea through the mouth and 0.05 ml of saline solution with 30 mg of Fe₃O₄ was instilled into the trachea. After magnetization from outside the chest wall, the remanent magnetic field (RMF) strength generated in the trachea was sequentially measured with a flux-gate magnetometer. The decay of RMF immediately after sequential magnetization showed a clearance of Fe₃O₄ particles. Mabuterol (10 μg/kg) increased clearance as much as isoproterenol (10 μg/kg) 30 min after intravenous injection relative to control measurement (p<0.01). These results suggest that mabuterol is useful to promote clearance.