Free radical formation in vivo and hepatotoxicity due to anesthesia with halothane

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · Anesthesiology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00000542-198209000-00003· OSTI ID:6637696

Plummer, J L; Beckwith, A L; Bastin, F N; Adams, J F; Cousins, M J; Hall, P

In vivo studies were undertaken to determine whether free radical formation in the liver during administration of various halogenated anesthetics is associated with hepatotoxicity of these agents in an animal model. In addition to the anesthetics halothane, enflurane, and isoflurane, carbon tetrachloride was studied as an example of a hepatotoxic halogenated compound acting by a free radical mechanism. Free radicals were trapped in vivo during anesthesia as stable adducts using the spin trap, alpha-phenyl-t-butyl nitrone. These adducts were extracted from the liver and studied by electron spin resonance spectrometry. Free radicals were detected after administration of halothane or carbon tetrachloride, compounds which were hepatotoxic under the conditions of the experiment, but were not found after anesthesia induced with enflurane or isoflurane, anesthetics which were not hepatotoxic under identical conditions. The free radical trapped after alpha-phenyl-t-butyl nitrone treatment of halothane-anesthetized rats appeared to be a metabolic intermediate of halothane.

• Research Organization: Department of Anaesthesia, Flinders Medical Centre, University of Adelaide, South Australia
• OSTI ID: 6637696
• Journal Information: Anesthesiology; (United States), Vol. 57:3
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
ANESTHETICS
TOXICITY
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
LIVER
SENSITIVITY
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
IN VIVO
RADICALS
RATS
SIDE EFFECTS
ANIMALS
BODY
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DRUGS
GLANDS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560305* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Vertebrates- (-1987)
550200 - Biochemistry
552000 - Public Health