Beneficial effects of volatile anesthetics on decrease in coronary flow and myocardial contractility induced by oxygen-derived free radicals in isolated rabbit hearts.

Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in reperfusion injury whereas volatile anesthetics have been shown to enhance myocardial recovery during reperfusion. To explore the mechanism by which these agents improve myocardial recovery, we measured the effect of volatile anesthetics on the free radical-induced reduction in left ventricular pressure (LVP), coronary flow, and endothelium-dependent dilation induced by acetylcholine (Ach). Isolated rabbit hearts were perfused in a Langendorff apparatus. Isovolumetric LVP and coronary flow were measured throughout the study. Oxygen-derived free radicals were produced by the electrolysis (direct current of 0.6 mA) of the perfusate. The following volatile anesthetics were used: halothane 0.5 or 1.0%, isoflurane 0.7 or 1.4%, and enflurane 1.0 or 2.0%. Oxygen free radicals induced a significant decrease in systolic LVP and coronary flow. Pretreatment of the heart with enflurane 1.0 or 2.0%, halothane 1.0%, or isoflurane 0.7% attenuated the effect of the free radicals on both systolic LVP and coronary flow. Free radicals reduced the dilating response induced by 0.1 microM Ach with or without addition of volatile anesthetics. These data suggest that the volatile agents have beneficial effects on the free radical cell damage pathway and that this protection is not related to the preservation of endothelium-dependent dilation.     

High pressure and anesthesia: compressibility, molal volume, and partial molal volume of volatile anesthetics

This study was undertaken to provide volume data of volatile anesthetics under high pressure. Molal volumes of liquid halothane, enflurane, and isoflurane and their partial molal volumes in water and in 1-octanol were determined by high-precision solution densitometry at 25.000 +/- 0.0005 degrees C over the pressure range from ambient to 34.56 MPa (341 atm). The isothermal compressibilities of the pure anesthetics and their isothermal partial molal compressibilities at their infinite dilution in water and in 1-octanol have also been calculated at 0.1013 MPa (1 atm).     

Determination of volatile anesthetics isoflurane and enflurane in mouse brain tissues using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

INTRODUCTION: A method for determination of the volatile anesthetics, isoflurane, and enflurane in mouse brain tissues using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is described. METHODS: Halothane was used as internal standard (I.S.). Brain samples were completely homogenized in ice-cold water and isoflurane, enflurane, and I.S. were extracted with headspace. One milliliter of headspace gas was injected onto the GC-MS and separation was achieved by using porous layer open tubular (PLOT) capillary column with a solid stationary phase (GSC). As a result, isoflurane, enflurane, and halothane were cleanly separated. RESULTS: The method demonstrated satisfactory recovery (72% and 76% for isoflurane and enflurane, respectively) and linear calibration ranges of 0.015-2.20 and 0.0152-3.94 microg/sample for isoflurane and enflurane, respectively. Reproducibility calculated as CV% was 3.3-3.9% for all intraday and interday determinations. The procedure was applied for quantitation of isoflurane and enflurane in about 300 mouse brain samples for genetic behavioral study. DISCUSSION: The method was achieved and shown to be effective.     

Correlation between degree of inhibition of parasympathetic reflex vasodilation and MAC value for various inhalation anesthetics.

Parasympathetic reflex vasodilation was elicited in the lower lip by stimulation of the central cut end of the lingual nerve in urethane plus alpha-chloralose-anesthetized, vago-sympathectomized cats. A dose-related inhibition of this response was induced by the inhalation anesthetics isoflurane, halothane, sevoflurane, and enflurane, the ID50 values being 0.94%, 0.82%, 1.74%, and 2.0%, respectively. These results indicate that the ID50 value is approximately two-thirds of the published MAC (for isoflurane, halothane, sevoflurane, and enflurane, 1.6%, 1.2%, 2.6%, and 2.4%, respectively) value for such anesthetics, suggesting that parasympathetic reflex vasodilation is more susceptible than somato-somatic reflexes to inhibition by inhalation anesthetics.     

Inhibition of the human intermediate conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel, hIK1, by volatile anesthetics

Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (K(Ca)) regulate a wide variety of cellular functions by coupling intracellular Ca(2+) concentration to membrane potential. There are three major groups of K(Ca) classified by their unit conductances: large (BK), intermediate (IK), and small (SK) conductance of channels. BK channel is gated by combined influences of Ca(2+) and voltage, while IK and SK channels are gated solely by Ca(2+). Volatile anesthetics inhibit BK channel activity by interfering with the Ca(2+) gating mechanism. However, the effects of anesthetics on IK and SK channels are unknown. Using cloned IK and SK channels, hIK1 and hSK1-3, respectively, we found that the currents of hIK1 were inhibited rapidly and reversibly by volatile anesthetics, whereas those of SK channels were not affected. The IC(50) values of the volatile anesthetics, halothane, sevoflurane, enflurane, and isoflurane for hIK1 inhibition were 0.69, 0.42, 1.01 and 1.03 mM, respectively, and were in the clinically used concentration range. In contrast to BK channel, halothane inhibition of hIK1 currents was independent of Ca(2+) concentration, suggesting that Ca(2+) gating mechanism is not involved. These results demonstrate that volatile anesthetics, such as halothane, enflurane, isoflurane, and sevoflurane, affect BK, IK, and SK channels in distinct ways.     

Respiratory and cardiovascular effects of halothane, isoflurane and enflurane delivered via a Jackson-Rees breathing system in temperature controlled and uncontrolled rats

We studied the respiratory and cardiovascular effects of 1.25 MAC halothane, isoflurane and enflurane in oxygen delivered via the Jackson-Rees breathing system in 10 rats. Mean arterial pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate were depressed significantly (P less than 0.05) in rats (n = 5) whose body temperature was not controlled after 2 hr of anesthesia regardless of the inhalational agent. Respiratory and metabolic acidosis developed. The respiratory and cardiovascular depression was most marked under enflurane anesthesia. In normothermic rats (n = 5) the initial cardiovascular depression stabilized after 30 min of halothane and isoflurane anesthesia. Moderate respiratory depression developed (PCO2 48.42 +/- 2.48 torr with halothane vs. 41.02 +/- 1.68 torr with isoflurane). Because the cardiovascular and respiratory changes caused by halothane and isoflurane were far less than changes produced by enflurane, halothane or isoflurane is preferable to enflurane for maintaining anesthesia in rats. Maintenance of constant temperature minimizes the cardiovascular and respiratory disturbances.     

Membrane expansion and inhalation anesthetics. Mean excess volume hypothesis

High-precision solution densimetry was used to determine volume parameters for the interaction of inhalation anesthetics with water, nonpolar solvent, and phospholipid vesicles. The precision of the densimeter is mainly limited by the constancy of the temperature during measurement. Therefore, temperature stability was maintained within +/- 0.0005 degrees and monitored by a microprocessor-controlled Thermistor thermometer with 0.0001 degrees resolution. All values were obtained at 25 degrees. Because volatile anesthetics in liquid form usually contain water, they were purified by passage through activated aluminum oxide columns. The molal volumes of dried preparations at the pure liquid states were: halothane, 106.3(3); isoflurane, 123.6(6); and enflurane, 121.9(9) cm3 X mole-1 at 298.150 degrees K. The mean molal excess volumes of anesthetic-water mixtures were negative at dilute anesthetic concentrations in water and positive at dilute water concentrations in liquid anesthetics. These values were dependent on the mole fractions of each component and showed a minimum in the water-rich region and a maximum in the anesthetic-rich region. In water, the partial molal volumes were halothane 93.7, isoflurane 103.4, and enflurane 98.6 cm3 X mole-1 at infinite dilution, and increased as the anesthetic concentration was increased. The partial molal volumes of water in liquid anesthetics were in halothane 21.7, isoflurane 21.0, and enflurane 20.5 cm3 X mole-1 at infinite dilution, and decreased as the anesthetic concentration was decreased. The mean excess volumes of the anesthetic-decane mixture were positive in the entire mixing range. The partial molal volumes of anesthetics in n-decane at infinite dilution were halothane 114.9, isoflurane 135.3, and enflurane 135.2 cm3 X mole-1. The mean specific excess volumes of the mixture of anesthetics and dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicle suspension showed positive values. The partial molal volume was not evaluated because of the theoretical difficulty in estimating it in a dispersed two-phase system. Because the mean excess volume of anesthetics dissolved in water is always negative and that incorporated into phospholipid suspension is positive, anesthetics expand the total volume of the model membrane system when translocated from water to the membrane. Anesthesia occurs when the mean excess volume of the total system exceeds a limiting value, and the bulk membrane size is irrelevant. Although the present result in no way disclaims alternative hypotheses, it demonstrates that the pressure reversal of anesthesia can be explained without assuming any specific receptors for these anesthetics.     

Differential depression of myocardial contractility by volatile anesthetics in vitro: comparison with uncouplers of excitation-contraction coupling.

Depression of rested state contractions (RSCs) and 0.1-0.25 Hz contractions by equianesthetic concentrations of isoflurane (2.5%), halothane (1.5%), and enflurane (3.5%) was studied in guinea pig papillary muscles in which tension development was enhanced by 0.1 microM isoproterenol. In a second series of experiments, an RSC was elicited, followed by a second contraction elicited with stimulus intervals of 300-600 ms. In both types of experiments, the results were similar. Halothane and enflurane depressed rapid initial tension development more than isoflurane. This initial tension development was also selectively depressed by 0.1 microM ryanodine, which specifically decreases Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Isoflurane and also enflurane depressed a delayed and late peaking component of tension development, which was very prominent after rest and was depressed by 200 microM procaine or 500 microM benzocaine. Although isoflurane and enflurane were similar to the local anesthetics in depressing late tension, unlike the local anesthetics they prolonged the late phase of tension development as well. The late tension of the RSC is associated with Ca2+, which enters the rested myocyte on depolarization and may be transiently sequestered in the SR before release. Both early initial and late tension development are depressed to a similar degree by application of 10-20 nM nifedipine. These results emphasize the multiple differing actions of the volatile anesthetics on myocardial contractions, with halothane and isoflurane possessing distinct depressant characteristics.     

Potential metabolic basis for enflurane hepatitis and the apparent cross-sensitization between enflurane and halothane

Clinical case reports of unexplained hepatic dysfunction following enflurane and isoflurane anesthesia led to the hypothesis that oxidative metabolism of these drugs by cytochromes P-450 produces immunoreactive, covalently bound acylated protein adducts similar to those implicated in the genesis of halothane-induced hepatic necrosis. Microsomal adducts were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting techniques utilizing specific anti-trifluoroacetyl (TFA) IgG hapten antibodies in rat liver following enflurane, isoflurane, or halothane administration. Preincubation of the antibodies with microsomes from halothane-pretreated rats or with 500 microM TFA-lysine, markedly inhibited adduct recognition, while preincubation with 500 microM acetyllysine had no effect. The relative amounts of immunoreactive protein adducts formed were halothane much greater than enflurane much greater than isoflurane and correlates directly with the relative extents of metabolism of these agents. These results support the view that acyl metabolites of the volatile anesthetics may become covalently bound to hepatic proteins, thus serving as antigens, and thereby account for the apparent cross-sensitization and idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity reported for these drugs.     

Effect of volatile anesthetics on protein synthesis and secretion by rat hepatocyte suspensions

The effect of volatile anesthetics on protein synthesis and secretion by isolated rat hepatocytes in suspension was investigated. Halothane and enflurane inhibited protein synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Diethyl ether had little effect on protein synthesis while isoflurane caused a mild inhibition. This effect was more pronounced in hepatocytes from phenobarbital treated male rats when compared to hepatocytes from control rats. Protein synthesis in hepatocytes from phenobarbital treated female rats was inhibited similar to that seen with control male rat hepatocytes. Isoflurane, enflurane, and halothane also caused a dose-dependent inhibition of protein secretion, while diethyl ether was only mildly inhibitory. From these studies it appears that inhibition of protein synthesis and secretion might be an early and sensitive indicator of cellular injury by volatile anesthetics.     

Pre- and postsynaptic volatile anaesthetic actions on glycinergic transmission to spinal cord motor neurons

1. A common anaesthetic endpoint, prevention of withdrawal from a noxious stimulus, is determined primarily in spinal cord, where glycine is an important inhibitory transmitter. To define pre- and postsynaptic anaesthetic actions at glycinergic synapses, the effects of volatile anaesthetic agents on spontaneous and evoked glycinergic currents in spinal cord motor neurons from 6 - 14-day old rats was investigated. 2. The volatile anaesthetic agents enflurane, isoflurane and halothane significantly increased the frequency of glycinergic mIPSCs, enflurane to 190.4% of control+/-22.0 (mean+/-s.e.m., n=7, P<0.01), isoflurane to 199.0%+/-28.8 (n=7, P<0.05) and halothane to 198.2%+/-19.5 (n=7, P<0.01). However without TTX, isoflurane and halothane had no significant effect and enflurane decreased sIPSC frequency to 42.5% of control+/-12.4 (n=6, P<0.01). All the anaesthetics prolonged the decay time constant (tau) of both spontaneous and glycine-evoked currents without increasing amplitude. With TTX total charge transfer was increased; without TTX charge transfer was unchanged (isoflurane and halothane) or decreased (enflurane). 3. Enflurane-induced mIPSC frequency increases were not significantly affected by Cd(2+) (50 microM), thapsigargin (1 - 5 microM), or KB-R7943 (5 microM). KB-R7943 and thapsigargin together abolished the enflurane-induced increase in mIPSC frequency. 4. There are opposing facilitatory and inhibitory actions of volatile anaesthetics on glycine release dependent on calcium homeostatic mechanisms and sodium channels respectively. Under normal conditions (no TTX) the absolute amount of glycinergic inhibition does not increase. The contribution of glycinergic inhibition to anaesthesia may depend on its duration rather than its absolute magnitude.     

Effect of Volatile Anesthetics on Protein Synthesis and Secretion by Rat Hepatocyte Suspensions

ABSTRACT

The effect of volatile anesthetics on protein synthesis and secretion by isolated rat hepatocytes in suspension was investigated. Halothane and enflurane inhibited protein synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. Diethyl ether had little effect on protein synthesis while isoflurane caused a mild inhibition. This effect was more pronounced in hepatocytes from phenobarbital treated male rats when compared to hepatocytes from control rats. Protein synthesis in hepatocytes from phenobarbital treated female rats was inhibited similar to that seen with control male rat hepatocytes. Isoflurane, enflurane, and halothane also caused a dose-dependent inhibition of protein secretion, while diethyl ether was only mildy inhibitory. From these studies it appears that inhibition of protein synthesis and secretion might be an early and sensitive indicator of cellular injury by volatile anesthetics.     

Effects of anesthetics on the function of orexin-1 receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes

Neurons in the hypothalamus containing the neuropeptide orexin have been implicated in the control of sleep and wakefulness and in the pathology of narcolepsy. In this study, we investigated the effects of volatile anesthetics, ethanol and intravenous anesthetics on orexin-A-induced Ca2+-activated Cl- currents using Xenopus oocytes expressing orexin-1 receptors (OX1Rs). The volatile anesthetics isoflurane, enflurane and halothane inhibited Cl- currents elicited by 1-micromol/l orexin-A. Ethanol and the intravenous anesthetics pentobarbital and ketamine also inhibited the action of orexin-A. The inhibitory effects of all of the compounds tested were shown to be caused by the inhibition of OX1R function. These results may, at least in part, explain their hypnotic effects.     

吸入麻醉药镇痛、催眠作用与GABA_A受体的关系

目的　分析吸入麻醉药安氟醚、异氟醚和七氟醚催眠、镇痛作用与GABAA 受体的关系。方法　建立小鼠催眠、镇痛模型后 ,在小鼠催醒、热板、扭体实验中 ,分别观察用药后小鼠翻正反射消失持续时间、痛阈或扭体次数的变化。结果　一叶秋碱和荷包牡丹碱对上述 3种吸入麻醉药的催眠、镇痛作用的影响均无显著性 (P >0 0 5 )。结论　GABAA 受体并非安氟醚、异氟醚和七氟醚催眠、镇痛作用的主要靶位     

Influence of rifampicin treatment on antipyrine clearance and metabolite formation in patients with tuberculosis.

The influence of an 8-day therapy with rifampicin (600 mg daily) was studied on antipyrine plasma clearance and metabolite formation in seven patients with tuberculosis (age 18-79 years), who were also treated with isoniazid and pyrazinamide. After rifampicin treatment the elimination half-life of antipyrine had decreased in all patients from 12.9 +/- 5.0 to 8.8 +/- 2.0 h (P less than 0.05). Antipyrine clearance had increased from 2.2 +/- 0.9 to 2.9 +/- 0.7 l/h (P less than 0.05), while no change in apparent volume of distribution was observed. The increase in antipyrine clearance was primarily due to a selective increase in the rate of formation of norantipyrine by 80% from 6.9 +/- 3.4 to 12.4 +/- 3.4 ml/min. Rifampicin seems to induce preferentially the cytochrome P-450 (iso-) enzyme(s) involved in the demethylation of antipyrine to norantipyrine. Other pathways of antipyrine metabolism were hardly affected. This provides further evidence for the involvement of different iso-enzymes of the cytochrome P-450 system in antipyrine metabolism in man.     

Acute effects of halothane and enflurane on drug metabolism and protein synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes

The metabolism of sulphanilamide, antipyrine and paracetamol was studied in the absence and presence of the anaesthetics halothane and enflurane at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mM) in isolated hepatocytes from the rat. Cell viability and protein synthesis were monitored to evaluate toxic effects. A strong concentration related inhibition of antipyrine oxidation (40-70%) and paracetamol conjugation (20-40%) was caused by both halothane and enflurane. Acetylation of sulphanilamide was not inhibited, however, as a slight augmentation was noticed. A significant dose related decrease of cell viability (3-13%) was caused by both anaesthetics. Dose dependent inhibition of the synthesis of stationary cell proteins (15-60%) and the synthesis/secretion of medium proteins (35-85%) was caused by halothane. Similar but slightly less pronounced effects were caused by enflurane. The present findings show that volatile anaesthetics may have general effects as well as different degrees of specific effects on both membrane bound enzyme and soluble enzyme activities.     

The effect of fenfluramine on disposition and rate of antipyrine elimination.

The effect of fenfluramine, administered orally in a daily dose of 1 mg/kg for 40 days, on the disposition and rate of elimination of antipyrine was studied in 15 obese patients. Although the plasma half-life of antipyrine was unchanged, the apparent volume of distribution (1/kg) fell by 11.6% (p less than 0.001) and the plasma metabolic clearance rate (1/kg/h) of antipyrine was reduced by 14.1% (p less than 0.01). No correlation occurred between change in clearance, on the one hand, and change in patient weight or apparent volume of distribution of antipyrine, on the other. In vitro drug-metabolizing enzyme activity in the rat was measured using rate of aminopyrine and hexobarbital metabolism as indices. Fenfluramine inhibited the metabolism of both substrates. It is concluded that fenfluramine can diminish the rate of elimination of drugs which are extensively metabolized by reduction of microsomal enzyme activity. Also, drug clearance may be diminished by reduction of apparent volume of distribution.     

Effects of GABAergic agents on anesthesia induced by halothane, isoflurane, and thiamylal in mice

The effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor modulators and GABA uptake inhibitors on volatile and intravenous anesthetic-induced anesthesia were examined in male ICR mice, as assessed by the loss of righting reflex (LORR). The GABA uptake inhibitors, NO-711 and SKF89976A, which are permeable to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), but not nipecotic acid or guvacine, which poorly permeate BBB, shortened the onset of LORR but did not affect the duration of LORR induced by 1.5% halothane and 2% isoflurane. NO-711 and SKF89976A shortened the onset of and prolonged the duration of LORR induced by thiamylal (45 mg/kg i.p.). The GABA mimetics, muscimol and diazepam, shortened the onset of and prolonged the duration of LORR induced by halothane, isoflurane, and thiamylal. On the other hand, picrotoxin, a GABAA receptor antagonist, prolonged the onset of LORR induced by all anesthetics tested. Another GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline, prolonged the onset of LORR induced by halothane, but not by isoflurane or thiamylal. Both antagonists failed to affect the duration of LORR induced by halothane, isoflurane, or thiamylal. Baclofen, a GABAB receptor agonist, enhanced both volatile anesthetics- and thiamylal-induced anesthesia. These results suggest that anesthesia induced by volatile and intravenous anesthetics might be correlated with the modification of the pre- and/or postsynaptic GABAergic activities.     

Volatile anesthetic effects on isolated GABA synapses and extrasynaptic receptors

The volatile anesthetics enhance GABAergic inhibitory transmission at synaptic and extrasynaptic sites at central neurons. In the present study, we investigated the effects of three volatile anesthetics (isoflurane, enflurane and sevoflurane) on synaptic and extrasynaptic GABA_A receptor responses using mechanically dissociated rat hippocampal CA1 neurons in which functional native nerve endings (boutons) were retained. The extrasynaptic GABA_A receptors were activated by exogenous GABA application while synaptic ones were assessed by miniature and evoked inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs and eIPSCs, respectively). All volatile anesthetics concentration-dependently enhanced the exogenous GABA-induced postsynaptic responses. The structural isomers, isoflurane and enflurane, increased mIPSC frequency while sevoflurane had no effect. None of these anesthetics altered mIPSC amplitudes at their clinically relevant concentrations. Sevoflurane prolonged event kinetics by increasing decay time of mIPSCs and eIPSCs at clinically relevant concentration. On the other hand, both isoflurane and enflurane only prolonged the kinetics of these events at 1 mM of high concentration. For GABAergic eIPSCs, both isoflurane and enflurane decreased the evoked response amplitude and increased the failure rate (Rf), while sevoflurane decreased the amplitude without affecting Rf. These results suggest that isoflurane and enflurane at the clinically relevant concentrations predominantly act on GABAergic presynaptic nerve endings to decrease action potential dependent GABA release. It was concluded that these anesthetics have heterogeneous effects on mIPSCs and eIPSCs with different modulation of synaptic and extrasynaptic GABA_A receptors.     

Comparative metabolic effects of halothane and enflurane in rat heart cell culture

The effects of halothane and enflurane on the oxygen consumption rates and substrate utilization by beating and nonbeating rat heart myocytes in cell culture were compared. Halothane, on an equal dose and equal MAC (minimum alveolar concentration producing immobilization of 50% of subjects) basis, was significantly more effective than enflurane in reducing total myocyte oxygen consumption and contractile rate. The greater effect of halothane on oxygen consumption was not due entirely to its effect on myocyte contractile rate, since quiescent (nonbeating) cells and cells rendered nonbeating by large doses of halothane also showed greater reductions in oxygen consumption than with large doses of enflurane. Both halothane and enflurane reduced glucose and palmitic acid metabolism by myocytes when compared with controls. However, there were no significant differences between halothane or enflurane with regard to glucose metabolism. Halothane was significantly more effective than enflurane in reducing cellular palmitic acid metabolism. Although palmitic acid uptake by myocytes was reduced to the same extent by both anesthetics when compared with control uptake values, halothane reduced myocyte uptake of glucose to a greater degree than enflurane. The results of this study indicate that halothane is a more potent myocardial metabolic depressant than enflurane.