A SIMPLE METHOD, USING 2-HYDROXYPROPYL-BETA-CYCLODEXTRIN, OF ADMINISTERING ALPHA-CHLORALOSE AT ROOM-TEMPERATURE

Effective long term stable anaesthesia is a goal of many drug regimens employed in neuroscience in which procedures carried out are not prac tical in awake animals. A particular problem is the study of nocicepti ve mechanisms where good anaesthesia is essential. Similarly studies o f cardiovascular or cerebrovascular mechanisms require that normal phy siological reflexes be preserved as much as is practical. For non-reco very anaesthesia alpha-chloralose is a good choice since it provides g ood anaesthesia without excess depression of physiological reflexes. H owever, alpha-chloralose is sparingly soluble so that its use is not s traightforward. We describe the characterisation of a simple procedure to solubilise alpha-chloralose in a solution of 2-hydroxypropyl-beta- cyclodextrin. The resulting solution is stable at room temperature and gives a high concentration of alpha-chloralose making it easier to ad minister regularly during longer time course experiments. (C) 1997 Els evier Science B.V.