Arterial blood-gas chemistry and Alveolar-arterial (A-a) gradient values prior to administration of morphine, 30 min after injection of morphine (2 mg/kg, i.v.) and 5 min after each injection of vehicle or L-cysteine ethylester (L-CYSee, 100 μmol/kg, i.v.) in non-tracheotomized rats. The data are presented as mean ± SEM. There were 5 rats in each group.*P < significant effect of morphine. †P < 0.05, L-CYSee values versus saline values.