Intravenous ranitidine antagonizes intense atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade in rats

The neuromuscular action of ranitidine, an H2-receptor antagonist, was investigated by determining its effect on atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade in urethane-anesthetized and mechanically ventilated male Sprague-Dawley rats. An intravenous bolus and an infusion of atracurium were administered to produce a stable 93 +/- 5% (n = 11) neuromuscular blockade as judged by tibialis anterior muscle twitch response. Ranitidine administered as a 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg normal body weight IV bolus during continuous atracurium infusion produced marked antagonism of neuromuscular paralysis. The percentage of antagonism (25 +/- 9%; n = 4; 53 +/- 19%, n = 4; and 79 +/- 9%, n = 3, respectively) was linearly related to the dose of ranitidine (r = 0.86, P less than 0.05). These results suggest that IV ranitidine has a significant anticholinesterase action against atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade.