Isoflurane but not halothane minimum alveolar concentration-sparing response of dexmedetomidine is enhanced in rats chronically treated with selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist.

Abstract

Halothane minimum alveolar concentration (MAC)-sparing response is preserved in rats rendered tolerant to the action of dexmedetomidine. It has been shown that halothane and isoflurane act at different sites to produce immobility. The authors studied whether there was any difference between halothane and isoflurane MAC-sparing effects of dexmedetomidine in rats after chronic administration of a low dose of this drug. Twenty-four female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups of six animals: two groups received 10 μg/kg intraperitoneal dexmedetomidine for five days (treated groups) and the other two groups received intraperitoneal saline solution for five days (naive groups) prior to halothane or isoflurane MAC determination (one treated and one naive group of halothane and one treated and one naive group of isoflurane). Halothane or isoflurane MAC determination was performed before (basal) and 30 min after an intraperitoneal dose of 30 μg/kg of dexmedetomidine (post-dex) from alveolar gas samples at the time of tail clamp. Administration of an acute dose of dexmedetomidine to animals that had chronically received dexmedetomidine resulted in a MAC-sparing effect that was similar to that seen in naive animals for halothane; however, the same treatment increased the MAC-sparing response of dexmedetomidine for isoflurane. Isoflurane but not halothane MAC-sparing response of acutely administered dexmedetomidine is enhanced in rats chronically treated with this drug.