[Effect of huperzine A on cerebral cholinesterase and acetylcholine in elderly patients during recovery from general anesthesia].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of huperzine A on cerebral cholinergic system in elderly patients during recovery from general anesthesia.


METHODS
Thirty elderly patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia were randomized in a double-blind manner into group I (n=15) to receive huperzine A (0.3 mg/2 ml) and group II (n=15) with normal saline (2 ml) given intravenously. Huperzine A or normal saline was administered 30 min before completion of the operation, and acetylcholine (Ach) concentration in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) of the patients was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector (HPLC-ECD) and the activity of cholinesterase inhibitors (ChE) evaluated with automatic biochemistry analyzer before general anesthesia induction (T1) and 5 h after operation completion (T2).


RESULTS
In both the groups, Ach concentration in the CSF were lower at T2 than that at T1 (P<0.01), and at T2, CSF Ach concentration was significantly higher in group I than in group II (P<0.01); in group I, the activity of CSF ChE at T2 was lower than that at T1 (P<0.01), and also lower than at T2 in group II (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Huperzine A can inhibit cholinesterase to increase Ach, which has a positive effect on cerebral cholinergic system in elderly patients during recovery from general anesthesia.
Wang
Gang
G
Department of Anesthesia, People' s Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Zhang
Shuang-quan
SQ
Zhan
Hong
H
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D000368:Aged; D000470:Alkaloids; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004563:Electrochemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000470:Alkaloids; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C050426:huperzine A; D002802:Cholinesterases; D000109:Acetylcholine