Effects of barbiturate administration on hepatic and renal biochemical parameters in new zealand white rabbits

To assess the initial response of various plasma hepatic and renal biochemical parameters to barbiturates, we assigned 30 new Zealand White rabbits to three treatment groups (n = 10 each): control (saline solution injected intravenously), pentobarbitone (30 mg/kg intravenously), and thiopentone (20 mg/kg intravenously). Blood samples were obtained from the central ear artery at six time points: before injection injection of the anesthetics or saline and at 10, 30, 60, and 120 min and 24 h afterward. Plasma alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamiltransferase, blood urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels were measured using an autoanalyzer, and those of the treatment groups were compared with control group levels. The administration of thiopentone significantly increased plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamiltransferase and blood urea nitrogen, but that of plasma alkaline phosphatase significantly decreased. Plasma alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamiltransferase levels significantly increased after pentobarbitone administration. From these results, we concluded that plasma levels of some hepatic and renal enzyme concentrations increase significantly within a short time after administration of thiopentone or pentobarbitone. Therefore, caution is required in interpreting data on plasma biochemical parameters from rabbits anesthetized with pentobarbitone or thiopentone.