title: Dual effects of pentobarbital on rat sacral dorsal commissural neurons in vitro.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects of pentobarbital (PB) on acutely dissociated rat sacral dorsal commissural neurons (SDCN).
  
  
  METHODS
  Nystatin-perforated patch clamp recording was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) At a holding potential of -40 mV, PB induced inward Cl- current (IPB) in a concentration-dependent manner with a EC50 (95% confidence limits) of 416 (385-477) mumol.L-1 and a Hill coefficient of 1.08. (2) Picrotoxin reversibly blocked IPB. (3) The reversal potential of IPB was close to the Cl- equilibrium potential. (4) PB enhanced GABA-induced Cl- influx (IGABA). In the presence of PB 30 mumol.L-1, the EC50 (95% confidence limits) of IGABA decreased from 6.9 (5.4-8.4) mumol.L-1 to 3.5 (2.9-4.1) mumol.L-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PB had dual effects on SDCN, facilitated GABAA receptor-mediated currents and at higher concentrations induced Cl- influx itself.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, K K Leung, Brain Research Centre, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi-an, China.
authors.forename: Z P
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: G Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D018118:Chloride Channels / Q000187:drug effects*; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000759:Adjuvants, Anesthesia; D018118:Chloride Channels; D018757:GABA Modulators; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D010424:Pentobarbital