Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Renal and single-nephron function is comparable in thiobutabarbitone- and thiopentone-anaesthetised rats

  • Published:
Pflügers Archiv Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The thiobutabarbitone(TB, Inactin)-anaesthetised rat is an extremely widely used preparation for the study of renal function at the whole-organ and nephron levels. The recent withdrawal of TB from the market has made it essential to find an anaesthetic producing experimental conditions as similar as possible to TB to allow comparison of past and future data. Blood gas analysis, clearance and micropuncture studies were therefore performed in rats anaesthetised with TB or the related thiobarbiturate thiopentone (TP) (both 100 mg/ kg body weight) to establish whether the latter meets this requirement. Both barbiturates caused similar transient respiratory depression and acidosis. Mean values (TP versus TB) over the total 8-h observation period for glomerular filtration rate (0.94 versus 1.05 ml/min), urine flow (3.8 versus 4.4 μl/min) and K+ excretion (0.98 versus 1.18 μmol/min) were slightly lower (P<0.05) in TP rats, whereas renal blood flow (6.26 versus 6.24 ml/min), filtration fraction (0.31 versus 0.34) and Na+ excretion (0.11 versus 0.098 μmol/min) did not differ. The single-nephron filtration rate (SNGFR) (42.1 versus 41.1 nl/min) and fractional reabsorption (42% versus 47%), both measured in the proximal tubule, did not differ, although in the TP group SNGFR rose with time (4.4%/h) whereas the fractional reabsorption did not change significantly; in the TB group SNGFR was constant but fractional reabsorption declined with time (1.5%/h). Fractional reabsorption up to the distal convoluted tubule declined with time, this was more pronounced in the TP group. SNGFR measured at this site did not differ between TP and TB (30.3 versus 30.1 nl/min) but increased with time with TP (2.7%/h). Although renal function under TP is somewhat less stable than under TB, the differences are minor and, given that the latter is also characterised by non-steady-state conditions, it is concluded that TP is a reasonable replacement for TB.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aldridge WN, Parker VH (1960) Barbiturates and oxidative phosphorylation. Biochem J 76:47–56

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bar-Ilan A, Marder J (1980) Acid base status in unanaesthetized unrestrained guinea pigs. Pflügers Arch 384:93–97

    Google Scholar 

  3. Burn JH, Hobbs R (1959) Mechanism of arterial spasm following intraarterial injections of thiopentone. Lancet I:1112–1115

    Google Scholar 

  4. Change B, Hollunger KG (1963) Inhibition of energy and electron transfer in mitochondria. J Biol Chem 238:418–431

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chen CF, Chapman BJ, Munday KA (1985) The effect of althesin, ketamine or pentothal on renal function in saline loaded rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol 12:99–105

    Google Scholar 

  6. Christensen P, Kristensen LO, Leyssac PP (1973) The effects of amytal and inactin on isosmotic net fluid transport in the rabbit gall bladder in vitro. Acta Physiol Scand 87:455–464

    Google Scholar 

  7. Davis JM, Häberle DA, Kawata T, Schmitt E, Takabatake T, Wohlfeil S (1988) The increase of tubuloglomerular feedback mediated suppression of GFR during acute volume expansion in rats. J Physiol (Lond) 395:553–576

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dev B, Häberle DA, Schnermann J, Wunderlich P (1973) Effect of barbiturates on GFR and fluid reabsorption along proximal tubules and loops of Henle in rats. Pflügers Arch 344:21–32

    Google Scholar 

  9. Ebling WF, Danhof M, Stanski DR (1991) Pharmacodynamic characterization of the electroencephalographic effects of thiopental in rats. J Pharmacokinet Biopharm 19:123–143

    Google Scholar 

  10. Frey HH (1959) Vergleichende Untersuchungen zum Stoffwechsel intravenöser Kurznarkotika. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther 118:12–61

    Google Scholar 

  11. Frey HH (1961) Narkotische Wirksamkeit, Toxizität und Wirkungsdauer von Butabarbital und seinen N-Methyl-, Thio- und N-Methyl-thio-Analogen. Arch Int. Pharmacodyn Ther 132:164–171

    Google Scholar 

  12. Frey HH, Doenicke A, Jäger G (1961) Quantitative Bedeutung der Desulfierung im Stoffwechsel von Thiobarbituraten. Med Exp 4:243–250

    Google Scholar 

  13. Häberle DA, Ruhland G (1976) Inactin concentration in plasma of rats during anaesthesia and the effect of this concentration on short circuit current of isolated frog skin. Pflügers Arch 365:77–80

    Google Scholar 

  14. Harvey SC (1975) Hypnotics and sedatives. In: Goodman LS, Gilman AG (eds) The pharmacological basis of therapeutics, 5th edn. Macmillan, New York, pp 102–123

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kaczmarczyk G, Reinhardt HW (1975) Arterial blood gas tensions and acid-base status of Wistar rats during thiopental and halothane anesthesia. Lab Anim Sci 25:184–190

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lai YL, Tsuya Y, Hildebrandt J (1978) Ventilatory responses to acute CO2 exposure in the rat. J Appl Physiol 45:611–618

    Google Scholar 

  17. Marshall BE, Longnecker DE (1990) General anesthetics. In: Gilman AG, Rall TW, Nies AS, Taylor P (eds) The pharmacological basis of therapeutics, 8th edn. Pergamon Press, New York, pp 285–310

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mercer PF, Kline RL (1990) The influence of renal nerves on electrolyte excretion in conscious and anesthetized rats fed or fasted overnight. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 68:524–530

    Google Scholar 

  19. Michael UF, Kelley J, Meeks LA, Vaamonde CA (1981) Renal acidification in the hypothyroid rat. Evaluation by urinary CO2 tension. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 59:273–280

    Google Scholar 

  20. Ohmura A, Wong KC, Pace NL, Johansen RK (1982) Effects of halothane and sodium nitroprusside on renal function and autoregulation. Br J Anaesth 54:103–108

    Google Scholar 

  21. Olsen EB, Dempsey JA (1978) Rat as a model for humanlike ventilatory adaptation to chronic hypoxia. J Appl Physiol 44:763–769

    Google Scholar 

  22. Pavlin EG, Hornbein TF (1986) Anesthesia and the control of respiration. In: Cherniak NS, Widdicombe JG (eds) The respiratory system, vol. 2, part 2 (Handbook of physiology, sect 3). American Physiological Society, Bethesda Md, pp 793–814

    Google Scholar 

  23. Pepelko WE, Dixon GA (1975) Arterial blood gases in conscious rats exposed to hypoxia, hypercapnia, or both. J Appl Physiol 38:581–587

    Google Scholar 

  24. Severinghaus JW, Larson CP (1965) Respiration in anesthesia. In: Fenn WO, Rahn H (eds) Respiration. (Handbook of physiology, sect 3, vol 2). American Physiological Society, Bethesda, Md, pp 1219–1264

    Google Scholar 

  25. Shirley DG, Walter SJ, Zewde T (1989) Measurement of renal function in unrestrained conscious rats. J Physiol (Lond) 408:67–76

    Google Scholar 

  26. Tucker BJ, Mundy CA, Ziegler MG, Baylis C, Blantz RC (1987) Head-down tilt and restraint on renal function and glomerular dynamics in the rat. J Appl Physiol 63:505–513

    Google Scholar 

  27. Walker LA, Buscemi-Bergin M, Gellai M (1983) Renal hemodynamics in conscious rats: effect of anesthesia, surgery, and recovery. Am J Physiol 245:F67-F74

    Google Scholar 

  28. Walter SJ, Zewde T, Shirley DG (1989) The effect of anaesthesia and standard clearance procedures on renal function in the rat. Q J Exp Physiol 74:805–812

    Google Scholar 

  29. Waynforth HB (1980) Experimental and surgical technique in the rat. Academic Press, London, pp 95–102

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Munich, Pettenkoferstrasse 12, D-80336, Munich, Germany

    D. A. Häberle, J. M. Davis, M. Kawabata, C. Metz, P. Wapler & M. Stachl

Authors
  1. D. A. Häberle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. M. Davis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Kawabata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. Metz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. Wapler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Stachl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Häberle, D.A., Davis, J.M., Kawabata, M. et al. Renal and single-nephron function is comparable in thiobutabarbitone- and thiopentone-anaesthetised rats. Pflügers Arch. 424, 224–230 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384346

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384346

Key words

Search

Navigation