title: Postsynaptic effect of i.v. anaesthetic agents at the neuromuscular junction.
abstract: The effects of sodium thiopentone 19-757 mumol/litre, sodium pentobarbitone 25-806 mumol/litre, propanidid 74-1186 mumol/litre, Althesin 55-220 mumol/litre, diazepam 17.6-140 mumol/litre and ketamine 1.8-116.8 mumol/litre on the time-course of miniature end-plate currents of the excised mouse diaphragm were investigated. The currents were detected by means of extracellular electrodes and recorded with a transient recorder. The drugs had no significant effect on the growth phase of the current, but all six shortened the time-constant of the decay phase. This reduction in the duration of end-plate currents reduced the amplitude of postsynaptic potentials. A similar effect at central synapses may account for a failure of synaptic transmission caused by anaesthetic drugs and it is suggested that a reduction in the lifetime of open postsynaptic ionic channels is a common action of anaesthetic drugs.
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000530:Alfaxalone Alfadolone Mixture / Q000494:pharmacology; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D011410:Propanidid / Q000494:pharmacology; D013874:Thiopental / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D007649:Ketamine; D000530:Alfaxalone Alfadolone Mixture; D011410:Propanidid; D010424:Pentobarbital; D013874:Thiopental; D000109:Acetylcholine; D003975:Diazepam