title: Evaluation of a medetomidine-midazolam combination for immobilizing and sedating Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata).
abstract: We clinically and clinicopathologically investigated the immobilizing and sedative effects of a medetomidine-midazolam (MM) combination in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) and its antagonism with atipamezole. MM (medetomidine, 60 microg/kg; midazolam, 0.3 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly to each monkey (n = 11). All animals were laterally recumbent within 13 +/-6 min after administration of MM. This combination induced deep sedation accompanied by analgesia, muscle relaxation, and markedly depressed arousal reactions to external stimuli. After administration of atipamezole (240 microg/kg intramuscularly), the animals recovered rapidly and smoothly to their normal postures within 10 +/-2 min. In this study, the hematologic and serum biochemical parameters of Japanese monkeys given MM did not differ significantly from those of Japanese monkeys under general anesthesia via ketamine. Salivary a-amylase activities (stress indexes) ranged from 4 to 99 kU/l in Japanese monkeys, similar to levels measured in humans. An important advantage of MM was that its effects were reversible with atipamezole. We have confirmed that MM is valuable as a chemical restraint agent in Japanese monkeys for various experimental procedures.
authors.affiliation: Center for Experimental Animals, National Institute of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan. kimura@nips.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sazi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hiroe
authors.forename: Mitsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubota
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008251:Macaca / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D020926:Medetomidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008874:Midazolam / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D000516:alpha-Amylases; D020926:Medetomidine; D008874:Midazolam