title: Do barbiturates and their solutions suppress FMLP-induced neutrophil chemiluminescence?
abstract: The dose-response relationship of four commercially available barbiturates (methohexitone, pentobarbitone, phenobarbitone and thiopentone) and of their drug-free solutions on the production of oxygen radicals by neutrophils were tested by N-formylmethionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP)-induced granulocyte chemiluminescence and in a cell-free chemiluminescence system. Methohexitone had no effect on neutrophil chemiluminescence. Pentobarbitone, phenobarbitone and thiopentone dose-dependently decreased FMLP-induced chemiluminescence and cell-free chemiluminescence. Suppression of neutrophil chemiluminescence by pentobarbitone and phenobarbitone was due to effects of the drug-free solutions and an osmolality greater than 360 mosmol kg-1. Only thiopentone suppressed granulocyte chemiluminescence drug-specifically. The physicochemical properties of commercially available barbiturate preparations and their solutions, as well as free radical scavenging capacity, have to be considered if these preparations are used to evaluate drug-specific effects on the production of oxygen radicals by neutrophils.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Buhl
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birkhahn
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mirow
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wernet
mesh_terms: D001463:Barbiturates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008165:Luminol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008723:Methohexital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012996:Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D013874:Thiopental / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015054:Zymosan / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001463:Barbiturates; D005609:Free Radicals; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D012996:Solutions; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D008165:Luminol; D015054:Zymosan; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008723:Methohexital; D006735:Horseradish Peroxidase; D010424:Pentobarbital; D013874:Thiopental; D010634:Phenobarbital