Halothane enhances acetylcholine release by decreasing dopaminergic activity in rat striatal slices

The Mechanisms of Sevoflurane-Induced Neuroinflammation

Sevoflurane is one of the most commonly used inhaled anesthetics due to its low blood gas coefficient, fast onset, low airway irritation, and aromatic smell. However, recent studies have reported that sevoflurane exposure may have deleterious effects on cognitive function. Although neuroinflammation was most widely mentioned among the established mechanisms of sevoflurane-induced cognitive dysfunction, its upstream mechanisms have yet to be illustrated. Thus, we reviewed the relevant literature and discussed the most mentioned mechanisms, including the modulation of the microglial function, blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, changes in gut microbiota, and ease of cholinergic neurotransmission to help us understand the properties of sevoflurane, providing us new perspectives for the prevention of sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment.

The Effects of General Anesthetics on Synaptic Transmission

General anesthetics are a class of drugs that target the central nervous system and are widely used for various medical procedures. General anesthetics produce many behavioral changes required for clinical intervention, including amnesia, hypnosis, analgesia, and immobility; while they may also induce side effects like respiration and cardiovascular depressions. Understanding the mechanism of general anesthesia is essential for the development of selective general anesthetics which can preserve wanted pharmacological actions and exclude the side effects and underlying neural toxicities. However, the exact mechanism of how general anesthetics work is still elusive. Various molecular targets have been identified as specific targets for general anesthetics. Among these molecular targets, ion channels are the most principal category, including ligand-gated ionotropic receptors like γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate and acetylcholine receptors, voltage-gated ion channels like voltage-gated sodium channel, calcium channel and potassium channels, and some second massager coupled channels. For neural functions of the central nervous system, synaptic transmission is the main procedure for which information is transmitted between neurons through brain regions, and intact synaptic function is fundamentally important for almost all the nervous functions, including consciousness, memory, and cognition. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of general anesthetics on synaptic transmission via modulations of specific ion channels and relevant molecular targets, which can lead to the development of safer general anesthetics with selective actions. The present review will summarize the effects of various general anesthetics on synaptic transmissions and plasticity.

Smaller effect of propofol than sevoflurane anesthesia on dopamine turnover induced by methamphetamine and nomifensine in the rat striatum: an in vivo microdialysis study

Volatile anesthetics accelerate dopamine turnover in the brain, especially when used in conjunction with psychotropic agents such as methamphetamine and nomifensine. The effect of intravenous propofol anesthesia on the extracellular dopamine concentrations is unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two anesthetics on the extracellular concentrations of dopamine and metabolites using an in vivo microdialysis model. Male Sprague Dawley rats were implanted with a microdialysis probe into the right striatum. The probe was perfused with modified Ringer’s solution, and the dialysate was directly injected into a high-performance liquid chromatography system every 20 min. The rats were intraperitoneally administered saline, methamphetamine at 2 mg/kg, or nomifensine at 10 mg/kg. After treatment, the rats were anesthetized with intravenous propofol (20 mg/kg followed by 25 or 50 mg/kg/h) or inhalational sevoflurane (2.5%) for 1 h. Propofol showed no effect on the extracellular concentration of dopamine during anesthesia; however, propofol decreased the dopamine concentration after anesthesia in the high-dose group. Sevoflurane anesthesia increased the concentration of metabolites. Systemic administration of methamphetamine and nomifensine increased the extracellular concentration of dopamine. Sevoflurane anesthesia significantly enhanced the increase in the dopamine concentration induced by both methamphetamine and nomifensine, whereas propofol anesthesia showed no effect on the methamphetamine- and nomifensine-induced dopamine increase during anesthesia. The enhancing effect of psychotropic agent-induced acceleration of dopamine turnover was smaller for propofol anesthesia than for sevoflurane anesthesia.

The effect of aging on dopamine release and metabolism during sevoflurane anesthesia in rat striatum: an in vivo microdialysis study

We have previously reported that halothane anesthesia increases extracellular concentrations of dopamine (DA) metabolites in rat striatum using in vivo microdialysis techniques. Aging induces many changes in the brain, including neurotransmission. However, the relationship between aging and changes in neurotransmitter release during inhalational anesthesia has not been fully investigated. The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of sevoflurane on methamphetamine (MAPT)-induced DA release and metabolism in young and middle-aged rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with a microdialysis probe into the right striatum. The probe was perfused with a modified Ringer's solution and 40μl of dialysate was directly injected to an HPLC every 20min. Rats were administered saline, the same volume of 2mgkg(-1) MAPT intraperitoneally, or 5μM MAPT locally perfused. After treatments, the rats were anesthetized with 1% or 3% sevoflurane for 1h. Sevoflurane anesthesia significantly increased the extracellular concentration of DA only in middle-aged rats (52-weeks-old). In young rats (8-weeks-old), sevoflurane significantly enhanced MAPT-induced DA when administered both intraperitoneally and perfused locally, whereas no significant additive interaction was found in middle-aged rats. These results suggest that aging changes DA release and metabolism in rat brains primarily by decreasing the DA transporter.

Parkinsonism caused by adverse drug reactions: a case series

INTRODUCTION

Parkinsonism puts a high direct cost burden on both patient and caregiver. Several reports of drug-induced parkinsonism have been published, but to the best of our knowledge, there has not been any report of quinine or halothane inducing parkinsonism.

CASE PRESENTATION

We describe two cases of parkinsonism possibly caused by adverse drug reaction to quinine in a 29-year-old black Nigerian woman and to halothane in a 36-year-old black Hausa (Nigerian) man who received it as general anaesthesia for appendicectomy in our teaching hospital.

CONCLUSION

These are two unusual cases of parkinsonism caused by adverse drug reactions to high-dose quinine and to halothane as general anaesthesia. We consider that these two cases are important in bringing this potential side-effect to the attention of both pharmacologists and primary care physicians as these are two of the most commonly used medications in our clinics. We conclude that parkinsonism should be included among the adverse drug reactions to high-dose quinine and halothane general anaesthetic.

Pentobarbital inhibits l-DOPA-induced dopamine increases in the rat striatum: An in vivo microdialysis study

Pentobarbital is reported to inhibit ketamine-induced dopamine (DA) release in the rat nucleus accumbens. The accumbens is a part of the limbic dopaminergic system in the brain, and the dopaminergic neural activity of other components may also be sensitive to pentobarbital. We investigated the effect of pentobarbital administration on DA release in the striatum known as DA-rich basal ganglia, and the interaction between pentobarbital and L-DOPA, using in vivo microdialysis techniques. Male SD rats were implanted microdialysis probe into the right striatum. The probe was perfused with modified Ringer's solution and dialysate was directly injected to an HPLC. Every group of rats was consisted of six to seven animals. In the first experiment, rats were given saline, 25 and 50 mg kg(-1) pentobarbital. The second, each rat was given a local administration of 2 and 5 microg ml(-1) of L-DOPA with perfusate. Finally, other sets of rats were given 5 microg ml(-1) of L-DOPA and 25, 50, or 100 mg kg(-1) pentobarbital. Pentobarbital anaesthesia decreased the extracellular concentration of DA, and local administration of L-DOPA significantly increased DA concentration. Pretreatment with pentobarbital diminished the L-DOPA-induced DA increase. The results of the present investigation demonstrate that administration of pentobarbital might inhibit dopaminergic neural activity not only in the nucleus accumbens but also in the rat striatum. Pentobarbital anaesthesia antagonizes DA increase induced by L-DOPA and suggests the inhibition of metabolism of L-DOPA. The results of some animal experiments on dopaminergic activity under pentobarbital anaesthesia should be reconsidered.

Acetylcholine release induced by the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane in rat brain cortical slices

1. We have investigated the effect of the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane on acetylcholine (ACh) release from rat brain cortical slices. 2. The release of [3H]-ACh into the incubation fluid was studied after labeling the tissue ACh with [methyl-3H]-choline chloride. 3. We observed that sevoflurane induced an increase on the release of ACh that was dependent on incubation time and anesthetic concentration. The sevoflurane-induced ACh release was not blocked by tetrodotoxin (TTX) and therefore was independent of sodium channels. In addition, the sevoflurane effect was not blocked by ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether (EGTA) or cadmium (Cd2+), thus independent of extracellular calcium. 4. The sevoflurane-induced ACh release was inhibited by 1,2-bis (2-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetra-acetic acid (BAPTA-AM), suggesting the involvement of intracellular calcium-sensitive stores in the process. Dantrolene, an inhibitor of ryanodine receptors, had no effect but 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate (2-APB), a membrane-permeable inhibitor of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor inhibited the sevoflurane-induced release of ACh. 5. It is concluded that sevoflurane-induced release of ACh in brain cortical slices involves the mobilization of calcium from IP3-sensitive calcium stores.

Halothane attenuated haloperidol and enhanced clozapine-induced dopamine release in the rat striatum

The effect of halothane anesthesia on changes in the extracellular concentrations of dopamine (DA) and its metabolites (3-methoxytyramine (3-MT), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and homovanillic acid (HVA)) induced by neuroleptics was studied using in vivo microdialysis techniques. Halothane attenuated haloperidol-induced dopamine release and enhanced clozapine-induced dopamine release in the rat striatum.A microdialysis probe was implanted into the right striatum of male SD rats. Rats were given saline or the same volume of 200 microg kg(-1) haloperidol (D(2) receptor antagonist), 10 mg kg(-1) sulpiride (D(2) and D(3) antagonist), or 10 mg kg(-1) clozapine (D(4) and 5-HT(2) antagonist) intraperitoneally with or without 1-h halothane anesthesia (0.5 or 1.5%). Halothane anesthesia did not change the extracellular concentration of DA, but increased the metabolite concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. The increased DA concentration induced by haloperidol was significantly attenuated by halothane anesthesia, whereas the metabolite concentrations were unaffected. Halothane had no effect on the changes in the concentrations of DA or its metabolites induced by sulpiride. The clozapine-induced increases in DA and its metabolites were enhanced by halothane anesthesia. Our results suggest that halothane anesthesia modifies the DA release modulated by antipsychotic drugs in different ways, depending on the effects of dopaminergic or serotonergic pathways.

Halothane decreases impulse-dependent but not cytoplasmic release of dopamine from rat striatal slices

Using in vitro superfusion techniques and electrical field stimulation, a volatile anesthetic, halothane, decreased impulse-dependent vesicular release, but did not affect amphetamine-induced cytoplasmic release of dopamine (DA) from the rat striatal slice preparations loaded with [3H]-DA. Contrary to previous in vivo studies, halothane at concentrations applied (1% to 4%) did not enhance the release of DA from slice preparation in which the cell bodies were absent, and therefore, the possible site of action was located on the axon terminals. In this in vitro experiment, halothane decreased the fractional release of DA in a concentration-dependent manner and attenuated the increase of impulse-dependent DA release when amphetamine or nomifensine administration was combined with electrical stimulation. D2-receptor agonists (quinpirole and apomorphine) reduced the release, and antagonists (sulpiride and haloperidol) enhanced the release of DA. In the presence of halothane, D2-receptor antagonists had no effect on DA release. It is concluded that halothane may have some modulatory effect on D2-receptor mediated presynaptic control of DA release.