title: Antinociceptive activity of midazolam in sheep.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of midazolam on the nociceptive threshold responses in sheep. The intravenous administration of midazolam (0.1-0.3 mg/kg) produced a significant dose-dependent elevation of the mechanical and thermal nociceptive thresholds. The intravenous administration of flumazenil (20 micrograms/kg) markedly attenuated the antinociceptive activity of midazolam in the mechanical nociceptive test, whereas intravenous naloxone (0.2 mg/kg) had no significant effect on midazolam-mediated analgesia. The intrathecal administration of midazolam (1 mg), via chronically implanted cervical subarachnoid catheters, produced a significant elevation in the mechanical threshold responses. These results indicate that midazolam has antinociceptive actions in the sheep and suggest that this effect is, at least partially, mediated at the spinal level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Surgery, University of Bristol, Langford, UK.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kyles
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Waterman
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Livingston
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000662:veterinary; D008874:Midazolam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000662:veterinary; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008874:Midazolam