Effect of pentobarbital anesthesia on contractile performance and oxygen-consumption of perfused rat heart.
Rat hearts were isolated from two groups of animals: I, Control (C); and II, Anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (Nembutal) (P) 5 mg/100 g body weight prior to decapitation and perfused by modified Langendorff-technique. Left ventricular mechanical performance (LVSP, LVPD, dp/dtmax) and O2 consumption of P hearts was identical to that of C hearts. P hearts exhibited significantly lower coronary resistance and higher spontaneous heart rate. During electrical pacing (240--480/min) C and P hearts showed similar increase of mechanical performance. In sharp contrast to C hearts, P hearts were completely insensitive to threefold elevation of perfusate Ca2+ (from 1.3 to 3.9 mM). Experimental results suggest that pentobarbital anesthesia exerts a long-lasting effect on the isolated myocardium, which should be considered if tissues are isolated from animals treated by this drug.
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital; D010477:Perfusion; D051381:Rats; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
D010424:Pentobarbital; D002118:Calcium