title: Interaction between succinylcholine and cimetidine in rats.
abstract: The hypothesis that histamine H2 receptor blockade adversely affects neuromuscular function was tested, in vivo, in rats anaesthetised with urethane during mechanical pulmonary ventilation. Succinylcholine was administered as a bolus and constant-rate infusion to maintain 49.2% (+/- 1.5 SEM) twitch suppression in 19 rats. Cimetidine iv, 3.2, 7.5, 10, 17.8, 23.7, 31.6, or 56.2 mg.kg-1 was then administered in groups of two to three rats. Cimetidine produced an immediate potentiation of twitch suppression followed by a transient reversal and then a continued potentiation. Peak potentiation occurred within 19.0 (+/- 2.7) sec and was maintained in 11 rats at steady-state. Reversal was evident 4.1 (+/- 0.4) min after cimetidine administration. There was a good relationship between peak potentiation and serum cimetidine concentration with 50% potentiation occurring at 46.5 (+/- 4.6) micrograms.ml-1. Potentiation at steady-state was not correlated to serum cimetidine concentration but there was a weak relationship between reversal and serum cimetidine concentration. These results support reports from patients of an interaction between cimetidine and succinylcholine.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacy Department, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ramzan
mesh_terms: D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous; D000818:Animals; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004357:Drug Synergism; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002927:Cimetidine; D013390:Succinylcholine