ISSN:
1471-4159
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Mice were anesthetized with 5a-[3H]pregnan-3a-o1-20-one. Brain levels for 5α-pregnan-3α-o1–20-one and its five major metabolites (5α-pregnanedione, ko, k1, k2, k3) were compared at behavioral endpoints that are characteristic of the anesthetized state. The results support the hypothesis that 5α-pregnan-3α-o1–20-one mediates the anesthetic response, and they weigh against the hypothesis that any of its metabolites is solely responsible for the onset or the maintenance of the anesthetized state. For an administered dose of 3 mg/kg, brain levels (means ± SEM) for 5α-pregnan-3α-o1–20-one at the time of the loss of the righting response (n = 10) and at the time of the return of the righting response (n = 6) were 7.24 ± 0.61 pmol/mg of brain tissue and 3.63 ± 0.26 pmol/mg of brain tissue, respectively. No metabolite level was lower at the return of the righting response than at the loss of the righting response. 5α-Pregnan-3′-o1–20-one brain levels increased consistently with the percentage of anesthetized mice. This was not the case for any of the metabolites. Fifty percent of the mice were anesthetized when the 5α-pregnan-3α-o1–20-one level was 4.5 pmol/mg of brain tissue.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-4159.1991.tb08293.x
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