A further study on the transmission of dyes across the plasma ascitic fluid barrier. The action of dexamethasone on the transmission of two selected dyes (fluorescin and Evans blue) across that barrier

The effect of administration of dexamethasone into the ascitic fluid on the rate of clearance of fluorescin and Evans blue from the ascitic fluid was studied. Dexamethasone enhanced the transmission of the larger and protein bound molecules of Evans blue and had no effect on the transmission of the small and non protein bound molecules of fluorescin. This action is presumed to be the result of enhancement of the transmission of the protein carrier of protein bound dyes in the ascitic fluid across the plasma ascitic fluid barrier, or possibly the result of disrupting the binding of the dye to the proteins, and therefore making it more free in such transmission. Therapeutically, dexamethasone and allied corticosteroid analogues might be useful agents to help in the clearance of specific substances trapped in the ascitic fluid towards plasma, especially those which are highly protein bound.