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Inhaled Remifentanil in Rodents
Tatjana Bevans1, Cassandra Deering-Rice, Chris Stockmann
1From the Departments of *Pharmacology/Toxicology, †Pediatrics, and ‡Anesthesiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Anesthesia and Analgesia
|March 15, 2016
Summary
Inhaled remifentanil provides rapid pain relief and is quickly eliminated, showing no harm to rodent airways. This study demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of inhaled remifentanil for analgesia.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pharmacology
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Remifentanil is an injectable opioid known for rapid metabolism by plasma esterases.
- Its properties make it suitable for short-term analgesia in diverse patient populations.
- The study investigates the potential of inhaled remifentanil as an alternative administration route.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and safety of administering remifentanil via inhalation.
- To determine if inhaled remifentanil is rapidly absorbed, pharmacologically active, and quickly cleared.
- To evaluate the noninjurious effects of inhaled remifentanil on rodent airways and lungs.
Main Methods:
- Rats received remifentanil aerosol (100-2000 μg/mL) for 1-5 minutes.
- Analgesia was measured by tail flick latency; remifentanil blood levels were quantified via LC-MS/MS.
- Pulmonary mechanics and histology were assessed in mice post-dosing.
Main Results:
- Inhaled remifentanil produced dose-dependent analgesia within 2 minutes in rats, with rapid recovery within 5 minutes.
- Analgesia correlated with blood remifentanil concentrations; repeated dosing showed no adverse effects.
- Mice exhibited no irritation from remifentanil inhalation, and rat respiratory tissues showed no significant morphological changes.
Conclusions:
- Inhaled remifentanil is rapidly absorbed and pharmacologically active in rodents.
- The drug is quickly cleared, demonstrating a favorable safety profile for respiratory tissues.
- Inhalation offers a viable route for remifentanil administration with rapid onset and offset of action.