Agonists for metabotropic glutamate receptors in the rat delay recovery from halothane anesthesia

Intraventricular injection of (2S,1'R,2'R,3'R)-2-(2,3-dicarboxycyclopropyl)glycine (DCG-IV), a potent agonist for metabotropic glutamate receptors, to rats retarded dose-dependently the recovery from halothane anesthesia at a dose range from 30 to 300 pmol/rat. At a dose of 300 pmol/rat, recovery was prolonged up to about 630% of the control. (2S,1'S,2'S)-2-(carboxycyclopropyl)glycine (L-CCG-I) and (1S,3R)-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylic acid ((1S,3R)-ACPD) also delayed recovery, but doses much higher than those of DCG-IV were required (about 300 and 1000 times, respectively). These results suggest that some agonists for a certain kind of metabotropic glutamate receptors have a central depressant action in the rat.