title: Anesthetic effects on 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake by rat brain synaptosomes.
abstract: As a neurotransmitter involved in modulating central nervous system nociception and awareness, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) may play an important role in the clinical sequelae of certain anesthetic compounds. Anesthetic agents are known to affect peripheral, non-neuronal 5-HT uptake but little is known about their effects on 5-HT metabolism in the central nervous system. The effects of several anesthetic compounds on 5-HT uptake were examined in synaptosomes isolated from rat brain cortex. Inhibition of this uptake process was observed by exposure to clinically relevant concentrations of the volatile anesthetics halothane, isoflurane, and enflurane. The non-volatile agent, ketamine also inhibited uptake while the narcotic fentanyl had an effect only at the highest concentrations tested. Non-volatile agents which had neither a consistent nor significant effect on synaptosomal 5-HT uptake included pentobarbital, sufentanil, and etomidate. These alterations of 5-HT metabolism could represent a mechanism that contributes to anesthetic action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-2277.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Nason
mesh_terms: D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D005045:Etomidate / Q000494:pharmacology; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D007649:Ketamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012701:Serotonin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D017409:Sufentanil; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000777:Anesthetics; D012701:Serotonin; D007649:Ketamine; D017409:Sufentanil; D010424:Pentobarbital; D005283:Fentanyl; D005045:Etomidate