Lab Anim Res.  2010 Sep;26(3):241-247. 10.5625/lar.2010.26.3.241.

Evaluation on Efficacy and Safety of Tribromoethanol and Tribromoethanol plus alpha2-Adrenergic Agonists in Different Mouse Strains

• Cho YJ
• Lee JW
• Kim JI
• Lee YA
• Kim TY
• Han JS

• KMID: 2312073
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5625/lar.2010.26.3.241

Abstract

The present study was carried out to provide a guideline for injecting tribromoethanol (TBE) as the main anesthetic agent, while adjusting the doses of xylazine (X) and medetomidine (M) according to different strains of mice (male ICR, C57BL/6, and BALB/c). Seven intraperitoneal injection anesthesia protocols using TBE and mixtures of TBE and alpha2-adrenergic agonists (TBE/X and TBE/M) were compared in terms of their efficacy and safety (anesthetic duration, death rate, and the development of pathological lesions of abdominal organs). All animals that were injected with a low dose of TBE (200 mg/kg) displayed clear signs of light anesthesia with a strong pedal withdrawal reflex. Despite the good anesthetic effect, a high dose of TBE (400 mg/kg) was not a suitable anesthetic for major surgery in all mouse strains because of the risk of pathologic changes in the abdominal organs, such as retention of the digestive tract, peritonitis, and fibrinoid adhesion. TBE200/X10 and TBE200/M0.5 (TBE, 200 mg/kg; X, 10 mg/kg; M, 0.5 mg/kg) appeared to be safe and provided satisfactory anesthesia in ICR mice. Finally, there were clear differences in anesthetic efficacy among ICR, C57BL/6, and BALB/c strains. TBE/M and TBE/X did not anesthetize BALB/c mice, and it anesthetized C57BL/6 mice for a short time. When administered with TBE/X and TBE/M maintained the sedation of ICR mice. We were able to establish different regimes for each strain (TBE200/X20 for C57BL/6, TBE300/X10 and TBE200/M1 for BALB/c). Our results showed that TBE/X and TBE/M could be recommended as an anesthetic mixture, with the dose appropriately adjusted according to mouse strain.

Keyword

Anesthetic dose; strain difference; tribromoethanol; xylazine; medetomidine

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia
Anesthetics
Animals
Ethanol
Gastrointestinal Tract
Injections, Intraperitoneal
Light
Medetomidine
Mice
Mice, Inbred ICR
Peritonitis
Reflex
Retention (Psychology)
Sprains and Strains
Xylazine
Anesthetics
Ethanol
Medetomidine
Xylazine

Figure

• 

  Figure 1. Appearance of a mouse's abdominal cavity at 10 dpi. (A) Gross necropsy of ICR mice that received saline intraperitoneally. Normal appearance of the abdominal cavity is noted. (B) Gross necropsy of ICR mouse that received 400 mg/kg tribromoethanol (TBE) intraperitoneally. The stomach is grossly empty (thick, dark arrow). The intestine is distended with fluid and digested food, supporting a gross description of ileus (thin, dark arrow). (C) Thin abdominal wall and distension of the gastrointestinal tract found upon gross necropsy of C57BL/6 mouse that was administered 400 mg/kg TBE. (D) BALB/c mouse that received 400 mg/kg TBE showed focally extensive area of fibrous adhesion between the small intestine and cecum, which were filled with digested food (open arrow).

• 

  Figure 2. Microscopic photographs of gastrointestinal serosa in mice at 10 dpi. (A) Normal histology of large intestine from ICR mouse that was injected with saline intraperitoneally (bar, 100 µm). (B) Histopathology of a stomach from ICR mouse that received 400 mg/kg tribromoethanol (TBE) intraperitoneally. Section demonstrates intermixed mononuclear cells with the fibrous tissue in the serosa (arrow). Hematoxylin and eosin stain; bar, 50 µm (C) Histopathology of the large intestine from a C57BL/6 mouse that received 400 mg/kg TBE intraperitoneally. The section demonstrates fibrosis and inflammation of the serosa (arrow). Hematoxylin and eosin stain; bar, 200 µm. (D) Histopathology of the large intestine from a BALB/c mouse that was administered 400 mg/kg TBE intraperitoneally. This large intestine section demonstrates mononuclear cells intermixed with the fibrous tissue (arrow). Hematoxylin and eosin stain; bar, 200 µm.

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