title: Intravenous ranitidine antagonizes intense atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade in rats.
abstract: The neuromuscular action of ranitidine, an H2-receptor antagonist, was investigated by determining its effect on atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade in urethane-anesthetized and mechanically ventilated male Sprague-Dawley rats. An intravenous bolus and an infusion of atracurium were administered to produce a stable 93 +/- 5% (n = 11) neuromuscular blockade as judged by tibialis anterior muscle twitch response. Ranitidine administered as a 1, 5, or 10 mg/kg normal body weight IV bolus during continuous atracurium infusion produced marked antagonism of neuromuscular paralysis. The percentage of antagonism (25 +/- 9%; n = 4; 53 +/- 19%, n = 4; and 79 +/- 9%, n = 3, respectively) was linearly related to the dose of ranitidine (r = 0.86, P less than 0.05). These results suggest that IV ranitidine has a significant anticholinesterase action against atracurium-induced neuromuscular blockade.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania.
authors: S C
authors: SC
authors: Law
authors: I M
authors: IM
authors: Ramzan
authors: B W
authors: BW
authors: Brandom
authors: D R
authors: DR
authors: Cook
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001279:Atracurium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects*; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D001279:Atracurium; D011899:Ranitidine