Korean J Anesthesiol.  2009 Jul;57(1):84-87. 10.4097/kjae.2009.57.1.84.

The effects of etomidate on the contraction of pregnant rat uterine smooth muscle

• Chung CD
• An TH
• Jung KT
• Lee TH

• KMID: 1782620
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4097/kjae.2009.57.1.84

Abstract

BACKGROUND
It has been reported that etomidate has the relaxant effects on vascular, tracheal, and non-pregnant uterine smooth muscle in vitro. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relaxant effects of etomidate on the contraction of the pregnant rat uterine smooth muscle. METHODS: Uterine muscle tissues were obtained from pregnant rats (n = 15). The uterine segments were mounted in organ baths filled with Krebs solution. After oxytocin-induced contractile activity had been established, etomidate in incremental concentrations (10(-7) to 10(-3) M) was added cumulatively to the bath, each administered 20 min apart, and resultant changes in contractile activity were continuously recorded. EC5 (effective concentration of 5% reduction), EC25, EC50, EC75, and EC95 on active tension were calculated using a probit model. RESULTS: Etomidate (10(-7) to 10(-3) M) induced dose-dependent decreases in amplitude and frequency of uterine contraction. The EC50 of etomidate on active tension were 5.91 x 10(-5) M. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that etomidate had inhibitory effects on pregnant rat uterine muscle at supraclinical concentration (5.91 x 10(-5) M).

Keyword

Etomidate; Oxytocin; Pregnant rat; Uterine contractile activity

MeSH Terms

Animals
Baths
Contracts
Etomidate
Female
Isotonic Solutions
Mice
Muscle, Smooth
Myometrium
Oxytocin
Rats
Uterine Contraction
Etomidate
Isotonic Solutions
Oxytocin