title: Central and peripheral cardio-respiratory effects of saxitoxin (STX) in urethane-anesthetized guinea-pigs.
abstract: Effects of saxitoxin (STX; 10 micrograms/kg; i.p.) on cardio-respiratory activities were evaluated in urethane-anesthetized guinea-pigs. Concurrent recordings were made of electrocorticogram (ECoG), bulbar respiratory-related unit activities, diaphragmatic electromyogram (DEMG), electrocardiogram (Lead II ECG), blood pressure, heart rate, end-tidal CO2, arterial O2/CO2 tensions, and arterial pH. The average time to STX-induced respiratory failure was about 10 min. The most striking effect prior to apnea was a state of progressive bradypnea which emerged 5-7 min after the toxin administration. Other noteworthy responses included (i) a time-dependent decrease in ECoG amplitudes which typically began before the development of a bradypneic profile; (ii) an increasing degree of diaphragm neuromuscular blockade; (iii) a state of combined hypercapnia and uncompensated acidemia; (iv) a declining blood pressure; (v) an incrementally dysfunctional myocardial performance; and (vi) an increasingly degenerative central respiratory activity profile which ultimately culminated in a complete loss of central respiratory drive. The therapeutic effect of intratracheally administered oxygen was equivocal in that the cardio-respiratory activities, be they of central of peripheral nature, remained conspicuously dysfunctional and precarious despite 100% oxygen ventilation. What can be inferred from this study is two-fold. First, STX-induced ventilatory insufficiency can be attributed to a loss of functional integrity of both central and peripheral respiratory system components. That is, although diaphragm blockade contributes significantly to STX-induced respiratory failure, analyses of single respiratory unit activity data revealed that the central respiratory rhythmogenic mechanism also appeared to play a pivotal role in the development of a bradypneic profile which promotes, and directly causes, a complete loss of respiratory drive. Second, a state of unabating depression of central respiratory activities, which seemed to be refractory to the effect of O2, suggests STX has a direct and persistent action on medullary rhythmogenic mechanisms. In conclusion, these findings indicate that both central and peripheral cardio-respiratory components are critically involved in STX-induced apnea, dysfunctional cardiovascular performance, and lethality.
authors.affiliation: Pathophysiology Division, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010-5425.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Benton
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Capacio
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000187:drug effects; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D004576:Electromyography / Q000187:drug effects; D004594:Electrophysiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012132:Respiratory Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D012530:Saxitoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014520:Urethane
chemical_list: D012530:Saxitoxin; D014520:Urethane