title: The effect of dantrolene sodium on rat skeletal muscle in relation to the plasma concentration.
abstract: Dantrolene sodium is a muscle relaxant used in the treatment of spasticity. It has been shown to interfere with calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and thus to inhibit excitation--contraction coupling. The effect of dantrolene sodium on the twitch tension of the tibialis anterior muscle of the rat was measured after 2 mg/kg i.v. or 25 mg/kg orally. Plasma concentrations were estimated at maximum twitch depression and during recovery from the block. In a separate series of experiments the half-life of labelled dantrolene sodium was measured in blood plasma, skeletal muscle and heart muscle of rats. Dantrolene sodium 2 mg/kg i.v. gave a maximal block of approximately 47%, the mean dantrolene sodium concentration was then 5.8 microgram/ml. A half-life for distribution of 1.1 min and an elimination half-life of 31 min after intravenous administration were observed, elimination rate constants in skeletal and heart muscle were comparable. Recovery from the block went much slower, the half-time of the process being approximately 80 min. Dantrolene sodium 25 mg/kg orally gave a maximal block of approximately 38% at a mean plasma concentration of 3.6 microgram/ml after 14 min. The recovery was again very slow. These experiments demonstrated that dantrolene sodium acts according to a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model.  There was a discrepancy between duration of effect and plasma concentration of dantrolene sodium in the rat.  This suggests that the receptor for dantrolene sodium is not located in the central compartment.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003620:Dantrolene / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006207:Half-Life; D006827:Hydantoins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D006827:Hydantoins; D003620:Dantrolene