Brief Articles
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2009; 15(13): 1620-1624
Published online Apr 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1620
Altered spontaneous contractions of the ileum by anesthetic agents in rats exposed to peritonitis
Cengiz Aydin, Ihsan Bagcivan, Sinan Gursoy, Ahmet Altun, Omer Topcu, Ayhan Koyuncu
Cengiz Aydin, Omer Topcu, Ayhan Koyuncu, Department of General Surgery, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, 58140 Sivas, Turkey
Ihsan Bagcivan, Ahmet Altun, Department of Pharmacology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, 58140 Sivas, Turkey
Sinan Gursoy, Department of Anesthesiology, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, 58140 Sivas, Turkey
Author contributions: Aydin C, Bagcivan I, Gursoy S and Koyuncu A contributed equally to this work; Aydin C, Bagcivan I and Gursoy S designed the research; Bagcivan I, Altun A performed the research; Bagcivan I, Altun A analyzed the data; Aydin C, Bagcivan I and Topcu O wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Cengiz Aydin, Associate Professor, Department of General Surgery, Cumhuriyet University School of Medicine, 58140 Sivas, Turkey. caydin2@yahoo.com
Telephone: +90-346-2580493
Fax: +90-346-2581305
Received: December 19, 2008
Revised: March 4, 2009
Accepted: March 11, 2009
Published online: April 7, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To investigate in vitro effects of propofol, midazolam and dexmedetomidine, which are commonly used anaesthesic or sedatives, on spontaneous contractions of the ileum both in normal rats and those exposed to hyperdynamic peritonitis.

METHODS: Spontaneous contractions of isolated ileum muscle segments from sham operated rats and those exposed to peritonitis, were studied in vitro. The amplitude and the frequency of spontaneous contractions of ileum muscle segments were studied after adding dexmetetomidine, propofol, and midazolam to the organ bath in a cumulative manner.

RESULTS: Both amplitude (85.2 ± 6.6 vs 47.4 ± 7.1) and frequency (32.8 ± 4.6 vs 20.2 ± 3.9) of spontaneous contractions in ileum smooth muscle segments were decreased significantly in the peritonitis group compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Dexmedetomidine significantly increased the amplitude of spontaneous contractions (85.2 ± 6.6 vs 152.0 ± 5.4, P < 0.05) whereas, propofol (85.2 ± 6.6 vs 49.6 ± 4.8, P < 0.05) and midazolam (85.2 ± 6.6 vs 39.2 ± 4.5, P < 0.05) decreased it in both control and peritonitis groups. The frequency of spontaneous contractions were significantly decreased by propofol in both control (32.8 ± 4.6 vs 18.2 ± 3.4, P < 0.05) and peritonitis groups 20.2 ± 3.9 vs 11.6 ± 3.2, P < 0.05). Dexmedetomidine and midazolam did not cause significant changes in the number of spontaneous contractions in both control and the peritonitis groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Propofol, midazolam and dexmede-tomidine have various in vitro effects on spontaneous contractions of the rat ileum. While dexmedetomidine augments the spontaneous contraction of the rat ileum, propofol attenuates it. However, the effects of these compounds were parallel in both control and peritonitis groups.

Keywords: Ileum; Propofol; Midazolam; Dexmedeto-midine; Peritonitis