Hepatic energy charge and adenine nucleotide status in rats anesthetized with halothane, isoflurane or enflurane

Background: Volatile anesthetics are known to have varying effects on hepatic oxygen supply in vivo and have been shown to depress hepatic mitochondrial respiration and so energy charge in vitro. However, the effect of halothane, isoflurane and enflurane on hepatic adenine nucleotide status in viuo has not been evaluated.
Methods: Ninety male rats were exposed to 40% oxygen (n=22) or 40% oxygen in equipotent (1 MAC) concentrations of halothane (1%) (n=23), isoflurane (1.4%) (n=22) or enflurane (2%) (n=23) for 2 hours. All animals were then administered intraperitoneal pentobarbital and anesthesia continued and laparotomy was performed. A liver biopsy was taken for determination of hepatocellular adenosine-5-triphosphate (ATP), adenosine-5-diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine-5-monophosphate (AMP) and computation of energy charge (EC) from ((ATP+1/2 ADP)+(ATP+ADP+AMP)) and total ade nine nucleotides (TAN) from (ATP+ADP+AMP). After the biopsy the aorta was cannulated for blood sampling.
Results: Rats in each group were similar in weight, as well as acid base and blood gas status just after liver biopsy. Hepatic energy charge, ATP, ADP, AMP, and TAN levels were not different in animals receiving either halothane, isoflurane or enflurane when compared with those receiving only oxygen.
Conclusions: One MAC of anesthesia for a period of 2 hours with the described volatile anesthetic agents did not affect adenine nucleotide status in viuo in rats.