title: The role of K(+) channels on the inhibitor effect of sevoflurane in pregnant rat myometrium.
abstract: Volatile anesthetics and K(+) channel openers inhibit spontaneous contractions in myometrial smooth muscle. Volatile anesthetics modulate K(+) channel activity. We investigated the role of two K(+) channel blockers on the effect of sevoflurane in pregnant rat myometrium. Term pregnant rat uteri were excised, and cross-sectional myometrial strips were mounted for isometric force recording. Sevoflurane inhibited the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous myometrial contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. The maximal inhibition measured in amplitude and frequency of spontaneous myometrial contractions with sevoflurane (at 3 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration) was 44.32% and 33.32% of control contractions, respectively. Tetraethylammonium (TEA) and glibenclamide, K(+) channel blockers, increased spontaneous myometrial contractions in a concentration-dependent manner. Sevoflurane responses were repeated at concentrations with no effect on spontaneous contractility of TEA, a Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel blocker, and glibenclamide, an adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K(+) channel blocker, in myometrial strips. TEA (3.10(-4) M) caused a significant reduction in sevoflurane-induced inhibitor responses, but glibenclamide (10(-6) M) did not. Sevoflurane-induced maximal inhibition (at 3 minimum alveolar anesthetic concentration) on amplitude and frequency of spontaneous myometrial contractions in the presence of TEA (3.10(-4) M) was 31.85% and 22.33% of control contractions, respectively (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the in vitroapplication of sevoflurane inhibited the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous myometrial contractions in pregnant rats in a concentration-dependent manner. Such inhibition was reduced by TEA. The inhibition of myometrial smooth muscle induced by sevoflurane seems to be mediated, at least in part, via activation of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels, because inhibition was reduced by TEA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, we found that sevoflurane causes significantly decreased myometrial contractile activity in pregnant rats. The inhibition of myometrial smooth muscle induced by sevoflurane seems to be mediated, at least in part, via activation of Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels, because inhibition was reduced by tetraethylammonium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, Sivas, Turkey. haluk.kafali@isnet.net.tr
authors.forename: Haluk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kafali
authors.forename: Tijen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gürsoy
authors.forename: Ihsan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bagcivan
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karadas
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sarioglu
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005905:Glyburide / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008738:Methyl Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D009126:Muscle Relaxation / Q000187:drug effects; D009215:Myometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000502:physiology*; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D019789:Tetraethylammonium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D026902:Potassium Channel Blockers; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024681:Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D019789:Tetraethylammonium; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D005905:Glyburide