title: Effects of methohexital on bioelectrical reactions in guinea pig hippocampal slices during hypoxia.
abstract: The barbiturate methohexital (42 and 140 micromol/l) was tested for an acute effect on anoxic depolarization (AD) and evoked potentials (EP) in hippocampal slices of guinea pigs exposed to repeated hypoxic conditions (n = 78). The dosages of methohexital resemble the range of plasma levels measured in patients with an intraoperative burst suppression electroencephalogram. Direct current potential and EP were recorded in the CA1 region. Hypoxia was terminated either when AD had reached its peak, or 2 min after maximum AD. Excluding the actions of methohexital on cerebral blood flow, reperfusion phase and the delayed mechanisms of cellular protection, a dose-dependent direct effect on EP even after repeated hypoxic conditions could be observed.
authors.affiliation: Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Strasse 33, 48129 Münster, Germany. greiner@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greiner
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wölfer
authors.forename: Hansdetlef
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wassmann
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Köhling
authors.forename: Erwin-Josef
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Speckmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008723:Methohexital / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D008723:Methohexital