PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the activation of the respiratory centers during insufflation of the larynx with CO2 at different flow rates and concentrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The experiments were carried out in spontaneous air breathing rabbits, anesthetized with thiopental sodium (25mg kg(-1) i.v.). The larynx was separated from the oropharyngeal cavity and the trachea. The tidal volume (VT) and respiratory frequency (f min(-1)) were recorded from the lower tracheal cannula. The respiratory minute volume (VE) was calculated, the action potentials from the right phrenic nerve were recorded and the inspiratory (TI) and expiratory (TE) periods and the mean inspiratory flow rate (VT/TI) were calculated. The larynx was insufflated at flow rates of 500mL min(-1) and 750mL min(-1), with 7 and 12% CO2-Air by means of a respiratory pump. RESULTS: Insufflation of the larynx, with both gas mixtures, decreased the f and VT significantly. The TI and TE were found to increase significantly due to the decreasing in f. There was a significant decrease in VT/TI ratio. Following bilateral midcervical vagotomy, on the passing of both gas mixtures, significant decreases were observed in the VT, and the responses of f, TI and TE were abolished. After cutting the superior laryngeal nerve, the responses of the VT to both gas mixtures were abolished. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the results of this study purpose that the stimulation of the laryngeal mechanoreceptors by the effect of hyper- capnia decreases the activation of the respiratory center
Air ; Animals ; Carbon Dioxide/chemistry/*pharmacology ; Female ; Laryngeal Nerves/drug effects/physiology ; Male ; Mechanoreceptors/drug effects/physiology ; Rabbits ; Reflex/*drug effects/physiology ; *Respiratory Mechanics/drug effects ; Tidal Volume

AIMTo study the effect of volume expansion by 0.9% and 1.8% sodium solution on cardiac-renal reflex activity and the role of cardiac-renal reflex in the regulation of integrated function.

METHODS18 health pentobarbital-anaesthetized rabbits were divided evenly into 2 groups at random, bilateral sino-aortic denervation, intubated via right jugular vein to monitor CVP, left renal nerve separated and ending sectioned to record ERSNA, bilateral ureter intubated to collect urine, right femoral intubated to get blood sample. 15% of whole body blood volume of 0.9% and 1.8% sodium solution were injected via jugular vein 10 ml per minute respectively. The CVP, ERSNA, bilateral urine volume and coefficient of sodium excretion were measured before treated, during treated, one minute, five minutes and ten minutes after treated.

RESULTSVolume expansion by 0.9% and 1.8% sodium solution respectively resulted in the increase of CVP by 64.00% +/- 15.56% and 77.00% +/- 23.74%; the decrease of the frequency of ERSNA by 44.00% +/- 13.64% and 63.00% +/- 12.49%, the average burst time of ERSNA by 37.00% +/- 16.49% and 31.00% +/- 10.69%, the increase of average interval of ERSNA bursts by 60.00% +/- 18.38% and 68.00% +/- 27.04%; the increase of urine volume by 158.00% +/- 28.10% and 640.00% +/- 155.39% in left kidney, 192.00% +/- 32.26% and 1343.00% +/- 429.95% in the right; the increase of coefficient of sodium excretion by 132.00% +/- 35.23% and 376.00% +/- 121.72% in the left, 300.00% +/- 76.99% and 856.00% +/- 261.48% in the right.

CONCLUSIONVolume expansion by different solution stimulate the receptors of cardiopulmonary and regulate the water and sodium excretion of the kidney by the cardiac-renal reflex to modulate the stabilization of blood volume.

Animals ; Blood Volume ; drug effects ; physiology ; Central Venous Pressure ; Heart ; drug effects ; innervation ; Kidney ; drug effects ; innervation ; Rabbits ; Reflex ; Saline Solution, Hypertonic ; pharmacology

BACKGROUNDNicotine may improve schizophrenia patient's cognitive deficit symptoms. This study was to explore the chronic effects of smoking on prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI) and P50 in the patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES).

METHODSThe event-related potentials (ERP) recording and analysis instrument made by Brain Products, Germany, was used to detect PPI and P50 in 49 male FES patients (FES group, n = 21 for smokers and n = 28 for non-smokers) and 43 normal male controls (control group, n = 19 for smokers and n = 24 for non-smokers).

RESULTSCompared with normal controls, the FES group had prolonged PPI latency when elicited by single stronger stimulus (P < 0.05); the FES group had prolonged PPI latency and increased PPI amplitude (P < 0.05, 0.01) when elicited by weak and strong stimuli. The FES group had lower PPI inhibition rate than normal controls (P < 0.05). Compared with normal controls, the FES group had increased P50-S2 amplitude and increased amplitude ratio S2/S1 (both P <0.05). In the control group, the smokers had a tendency of increase in P50-S2 amplitude (P > 0.05) and shorter P50-S2 latency (P < 0.05) than the non-smokers. The smokers had higher PPI amplitude than the non-smokers (P < 0.05). In the FES group, the smokers had higher P50-S1 amplitude, shorter P50-S2 latency, and higher amplitude ratio S2/S1 than the non-smokers (P < 0.05, 0.01). The smokers had higher PPI amplitude than the non-smokers (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThere is obvious PPI and P50 deficits in schizophrenic patients. However, these deficits are relatively preserved in the smokers compared with the non-smokers, which suggests that long-term smoking might partially improve the sensory gating in schizophrenic patients. Whether this conclusion can be deduced to female patients requires further follow-ups.

Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Evoked Potentials ; drug effects ; physiology ; Humans ; Male ; Reflex, Startle ; physiology ; Schizophrenia ; physiopathology ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo observe clinical results of Chinese herbs promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis on the treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) with type of stagnation of vital energy and blood stasis.

METHODSRSD with type of stagnation of vital energy and blood stasis was distinguished as erubescence, high temperature, perspiration, damp and acro-edema, with middle level pain. From 2006 to 2008, 58 patients with RSD of stagnation of vital energy and blood stasis were randomly divided into the treatment group (30 cases) and the control group (28 cases). The former were treated with Chinese medicine to activate blood circulation and improve bone and muscle nourishment. Chinese medicine includes: Caesalpinia Sappan 10 g, Ligusticum Chuanxiong 6 g, Frankincense 6 g, Angelica 10 g, Safflower 6 g, Myrrh 6 g, Ground Beetle 10 g, Araliaceae 3 g, Radix Paeoniae Rubra 10 g, Pericarpium Citri Reticulatae 5 g, Lawn Pennywort Herb 15 g, Manis Pentadactyla 10 g, Corydalis Yanhusuo 10 g, Rhizoma Drynariae 15 g, which were boiled into decoction and the patients were take orally everyday with a course of treatment for 10 days, together with the boiled Chinese traditional medicine of stretching muscle and activating blood circulation to fume and wash the limbs twice everyday. The compatibility of medicines in prescription includes: Lycopodium Japanicum Grass 10 g, Gentiana Macrophylla Pall 10 g, Radix Angelicae Pubescentis 10 g, Angelica 10 g, Uncaria 10 g, Frankincense 6 g, Myrrh 6 g, Safflower 6 g. Control group were treated with a placebo of the same color for oral use and external application. The delivery times, method and the time of therapy were all the same as the treatment group. After 30 days' treatment, the effective indexes of VAS pain score and swelling condition were observed in both groups.

RESULTSVAS pain score: the treatment group decreased (3.8 +/- 0.8) points and the control group decreased (1.0 +/- 0.3) points, the difference between the two groups was significantly (P < 0.01). There was significantly difference in volume decrease of the swelling limb between treatment group (21.8 +/- 2.5) ml and the control group (10.3 +/- 2.1) ml (P < 0.01). The efficiency difference between treatment group and control group was significantly(P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONWith the different treatment based on different syndrome and emphasis on the nourishment of bone and soft tissue, treated by Chinese medicine to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis in stagnation of vital energy and blood stasis, RSD get a favorable result.

Adult ; Aged ; Blood Circulation ; drug effects ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy ; drug therapy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: Gentamicin is a potent aminoglycoside antibiotic. Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity are the main side effects which restrict the use of gentamicin. Garlic with its intrinsic antioxidant activity may prove beneficial in prevention from ototoxicity. S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), diallyl disulfide (DD), and S-allylcysteine (SAC) are three active compounds found in garlic. In this study, we investigated the effect of SAMC, DD, and SAC on the ototoxicity induced by gentamicin in rats, by using brainstem evoked response audiometry (BERA). METHODS: Thirty male Wistar rats with intact Preyer’s reflex initially weighing 220–260 g were randomly assigned to either the gentamicin injection with SAMC treatment group (Genta-w SAMC), DD treatment group (Genta-w DD), SAC treatment group (Genta-w SAC), gentamicin injection without any active compounds (AC) treatment groups (Genta-w/o AC), or control group (n=6 rats each group). Gentamicin was given 120-mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally once daily for 25 days to subjects in all groups except the control group. SAMC 100-mg/kg, and DD 50-mg/kg body weight were given intragastrically, and SAC 250-mg/kg body weight was given intraperitoneally once daily to subjects in Genta-w SAMC, and Genta-w DD, and Genta-w SAC groups, respectively during the study. After 25 days hearing thresholds were evaluated by using BERA test. RESULTS: The mean amplitude of auditory thresholds (sensation level [SL]) measured by using BERA for the Genta-w SAMC, Genta-w DD, Genta-w SAC, Genta-w/o AC, and control groups were 22±8, 25±5, 30±9, 54±11, and 10±7 dB SL, respectively (mean±SD). The differences between every active compound group (Genta-w SAMC, Genta-w DD, and Genta-w SAC) and Genta-w/o AC were statistically significant (P<0.016). CONCLUSION: SAMC, DD, and SAC are derivative of garlic seems to attenuate aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss. The effect of SAMC and DD seems to be more prominent than that of SAC.
Animals ; Audiometry, Evoked Response ; Auditory Threshold ; Body Weight ; Brain Stem ; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions ; Garlic* ; Gentamicins* ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Reflex

BACKGROUNDThe mechanisms of action of volatile anesthetics are still unknown. Recently, the use of genetics as a means to investigate anesthetic action has increased in scale. However, only limited forward genetic approach studies were performed in mammals, especially with volatile anesthetics as the selection agent. In the present study, a selective breeding process was designed to produce strains of mice with different sensitivity to isoflurane.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty male and female virgin outbred ICR/CD-1 mice at 65 - 70 days of age were selected as original generation, and the median effective dose (ED(50)) of inhaled isoflurane were measured by probit analysis with the loss of righting reflex as the endpoint of anesthesia. The most sensitive males and females were selected and mated one another randomly, as with the most resistant males and females. Thus two branches of mice (sensitive and resistant to isoflurane) were created and allowed to produce the next generation. At 65 - 70 days of age, screening experiment was performed in offspring, by selecting the most sensitive mice in sensitive branch and the most resistant mice in resistant branch. Selected males and females within each branch were mated one another randomly to produce the following generation. The same procedure was performed in the offspring. The process of screening and breeding was repeated for 8 generations, and then strains were conserved by mating the offspring one another randomly within each branch for 3 generations. Each pair of mice was allowed to produce the second litters as a backup, and isoflurane ED(50) was measured in mice from the second litters.

RESULTSIsoflurane righting reflex ED(50)s (95% confidence limit (CL)) in original mice were 0.65% (0.58% - 0.72%) in females and 0.63% (0.56% - 0.69%) in males. After the 4th generation, isoflurane ED(50)s in resistant branch were significantly higher than those in sensitive branch (P < 0.05), for both in females and males. In the 11th generation, isoflurane ED(50) in the two branches differed by 32% in females and 36% in males.

CONCLUSIONSAfter 8 generations of selective breeding and 3 generations of strain conservation, two strains of mice with high and low sensitivity to isoflurane were developed. The separation of inhaled anesthetic requirement in parents could be transferred to the offspring in mice.

Anesthetics, Inhalation ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Breeding ; methods ; Female ; Isoflurane ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Reflex ; drug effects ; Selection, Genetic ; genetics

BACKGROUNDThe neurogenic bladder dysfunction caused by spinal cord injury is difficult to treat clinically. The aim of this research was to establish an artificial bladder reflex arc in rats through abdominal reflex pathway above the level of spinal cord injury, reinnervate the neurogenic bladder and restore bladder micturition.

METHODSThe outcome was achieved by intradural microanastomosis of the right T13 ventral root to S2 ventral root with autogenous nerve grafting, leaving the right T13 dorsal root intact. Long-term function of the reflex arc was assessed from nerve electrophysiological data and intravesical pressure tests during 8 months postoperation. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) tracing was performed to observe the effectiveness of the artificial reflex.

RESULTSSingle stimulus (3 mA, 0.3 ms pulses, 20 Hz, 5-second duration) on the right T13 dorsal root resulted in evoked action potentials, raised intravesical pressures and bladder smooth muscle, compound action potential recorded from the right vesical plexus before and after the spinal cord transaction injury between L5 and S4 segmental in 12 Sprague-Dawley rats. There were HRP labelled cells in T13 ventral horn on the experimental side and in the intermediolateral nucleus on both sides of the L6-S4 segments after HRP injection. There was no HRP labelled cell in T13 ventral horn on the control side.

CONCLUSIONUsing the surviving somatic reflex above the level of spinal cord injury to reconstruct the bladder autonomous reflex arc by intradural microanastomosis of ventral root with a segment of autologous nerve grafting is practical in rats and may have clinical applications for humans.

Anastomosis, Surgical ; Animals ; Atropine ; pharmacology ; Male ; Models, Theoretical ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reflex, Abdominal ; drug effects ; physiology ; Trimethaphan ; pharmacology ; Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic ; physiopathology

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of nitric oxide (NO) in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) on the central integration of the cardiac sympathetic afferent reflex (CSAR) in normal rats and in rats with coronary ligation-induced chronic heart failure (CHF). Under alpha-chloralose and urethane anesthesia, mean arterial pressure, heart rate and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) were recorded at baseline and during elicitation of the CSAR evoked by electrical stimulation of the cardiac afferent sympathetic nerves in sino-aortic denervated and cervical vagotomized rats. A cannula was inserted into the left RVLM for microinjection of NO synthase inhibitor, S-methyl-L-thiocitruline (MeTC) or NO donor, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP). The CSAR was tested by electrical stimulation (5, 10, 20 and 30 Hz at 10 V for 1 ms) of the afferent cardiac sympathetic nerves. It was observed that (1) the responses of RSNA to stimulation were enhanced in rats with CHF; (2) MeTC (80 nmol) potentiated the responses of RSNA to stimulation in sham rats but not in rats with CHF; (3) SNAP (50 nmol) depressed the enhanced RSNA response to stimulation in CHF rats but had no effect in sham rats; and (4) MeTC increased the baseline RSNA and MAP only in sham rats, but SNAP inhibited the baseline RSNA and MAP in both sham and CHF rats. These results indicate that reductance of NO in the RVLM is involved in the augmentation of CSAR in CHF rats.
Afferent Pathways ; physiopathology ; Animals ; Heart Failure ; physiopathology ; Male ; Medulla Oblongata ; physiopathology ; Nitric Oxide ; metabolism ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reflex ; physiology ; Sympathetic Nervous System ; drug effects ; physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo comparative study the acute toxicity of four extracts from Xanthii Fructus in mice.

METHODObserved the toxic manifestations in mice which were given the four extracts by intragastric administration and calculated the LD50 of the four extracts from Xanthii Fructus.

RESULTThe toxic manifestations of the mice given water extract by intragastric administration were repose, pilo-erection, cyanosis, intention tremor, respiratory inhibition, loss of righting reflex and convulsion . The toxic manifestations of the mice given ethanol extract by intragastric administration were repose, abdominal respiration, intention tremor, intermittent convulsions, incontinence. The LD50 of Xanthii Fructus processed water extract, processed ethanol extract, crude water extract, crude ethanol extract were material drug 155.93, 317.80, 167.6, 275.41 g x kg(-1), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe acute toxicity of water extract is distinctly stronger than that of ethanol extract, but there is no marked distinguish between crude and processed extract.

Animals ; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical ; methods ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; isolation & purification ; toxicity ; Female ; Fruit ; chemistry ; Lethal Dose 50 ; Male ; Mice ; Reflex, Righting ; drug effects ; Respiration ; drug effects ; Xanthium ; chemistry

PURPOSE: During emergence from anesthesia for a craniotomy, maintenance of hemodynamic stability and prompt evaluation of neurological status is mandatory. The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blind study was to compare the effects of dexmedetomidine and remifentanil on airway reflex and hemodynamic change in patients undergoing craniotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-four patients undergoing clipping of unruptured cerebral aneurysm were recruited. In the dexmedetomidine group, patients were administered dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg) for 5 minutes, while the patients of the remifentanil group were administered remifentanil with an effect site concentration of 1.5 ng/mL until endotracheal extubation. The incidence and severity of cough and hemodynamic variables were measured during the recovery period. Hemodynamic variables, respiration rate, and sedation scale were measured after extubation and in the post-anesthetic care unit (PACU). RESULTS: The incidence of grade 2 and 3 cough at the point of extubation was 62.5% in the dexmedetomidine group and 53.1% in the remifentanil group (p=0.39). Mean arterial pressure (p=0.01) at admission to the PACU and heart rate (p=0.04 and 0.01, respectively) at admission and at 10 minutes in the PACU were significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group. Respiration rate was significantly lower in the remifentanil group at 2 minutes (p<0.01) and 5 minutes (p<0.01) after extubation. CONCLUSION: We concluded that a single bolus of dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg) and remifentanil infusion have equal effectiveness in attenuating coughing and hemodynamic changes in patients undergoing cerebral aneurysm clipping; however, dexmedetomidine leads to better preservation of respiration.
Adult ; Aged ; Airway Extubation ; *Anesthesia Recovery Period ; Cough/drug therapy ; *Craniotomy/adverse effects ; Dexmedetomidine/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Hemodynamics/*drug effects ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Piperidines/*pharmacology/therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies ; Reflex/*drug effects ; Respiratory System/blood supply/*drug effects/physiopathology ; Young Adult