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Related Concept Videos

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview01:20

Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview

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Inhalation anesthetics are drugs that induce general anesthesia upon inhalation. They work by increasing the sensitivity of GABAA receptors or inhibiting NMDA receptors, leading to a decrease in central nervous system activity. The depth of anesthesia can be rapidly adjusted by changing the concentration of the inhaled gas. Some common examples of inhalational anesthetics include volatile liquids like isoflurane, desflurane, sevoflurane and gases like xenon and nitrous oxide. Isoflurane, a...
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Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

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Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
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Local Anesthetics: Chemistry and Structure-Activity Relationship01:30

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Local anesthetics (LAs) are drugs that induce a temporary loss of sensation in a limited body area, preventing pain. Cocaine was the first local anesthetic discovered in the late 19th century. Cocaine is a benzoic acid ester obtained from the leaves of coca shrubs and was often used for its psychotropic effects. Cocaine was first isolated in 1860 by Albert Niemann. Sigmund Freud studied the physiological actions of cocaine. Carl Koller later introduced it into clinical practice in 1884 as a...
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Constitutional Isomers of Alkanes02:18

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Organic compounds of the same molecular formula can have different structural formulas called constitutional isomers, and the phenomenon is known as constitutional isomerism. Alkanes with four or more carbons showing multiple structures with the same molecular formula thereby exhibit constitutional isomerism.
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Local Anesthetics: Mechanism of Action01:23

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Local anesthetics (LAs) block sensory and motor impulses by inhibiting the sodium channels on the nerve cell membranes. This induces temporary loss of sensation, relieving pain in a specific body area.
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Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications01:23

Local Anesthetics: Common Agents and Their Applications

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Local anesthetics (LAs) are commonly used for various applications in medical and dental procedures. Some of the common agents used are cocaine, lidocaine, and bupivacaine.
Cocaine is an ester of benzoic acid and methylecgogine. It is used to anesthetize and vasoconstrict locally. Currently, it is used primarily for topical applications. It is beneficial for surgeries on the upper respiratory tract, providing anesthesia and shrinking the mucosa. Cocaine in the form of cocaine hydrochloride is...
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Application of Dixon's Up-and-Down Design to Estimate the Minimum Alveolar Concentration of Sevoflurane in Rats with Refined Movement Classification
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Anesthetic synergy between two n-alkanes.

Robert J Brosnan1, Fabíola B Fukushima1, Trung L Pham1

  • 1Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.

Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
|June 7, 2017
PubMed
Summary

N-butane and n-pentane exhibit synergistic anesthetic effects by potentiating GABAA receptors. Butane also inhibits NMDA receptors, contributing to this interaction, which is consistent with their differing actions on ligand-gated ion channels.

Keywords:
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptorinhaled anestheticsisobologrammechanism of actionminimum alveolar concentrationγ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Anesthesiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • N-butane and n-pentane are alkanes with general anesthetic properties.
  • Both compounds potentiate gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors.
  • N-butane inhibits N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, while n-pentane does not.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential anesthetic synergy between n-butane and n-pentane.
  • To explore the role of GABAA and NMDA receptor modulation in their anesthetic effects.
  • To determine if their differing actions on ligand-gated ion channels lead to synergistic interactions.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro electrophysiology (two-electrode voltage clamp) was used to assess NMDA and GABAA receptor responses to butane and pentane in Xenopus oocytes.
  • Minimum alveolar concentrations (MAC) of butane and pentane were determined in Sprague-Dawley rats.
  • Pentane MAC was measured during coadministration with varying concentrations of butane to assess synergistic anesthetic effects.

Main Results:

  • Both butane and pentane dose-dependently potentiated GABAA receptor currents.
  • Butane inhibited NMDA receptor currents, whereas pentane showed no significant effect on NMDA receptors.
  • A statistically significant synergistic anesthetic effect was observed when pentane was coadministered with 0.50 or 0.75 times MAC of butane.

Conclusions:

  • N-butane and n-pentane demonstrate synergistic anesthetic effects in vivo.
  • These synergistic effects are consistent with their distinct in vitro receptor modulation profiles.
  • The findings highlight the importance of NMDA receptors in the anesthetic mechanisms of certain inhaled agents.