EFFECT OF THIOPENTAL, SAFFAN, AND PROPOFOL ANESTHESIA ON CARDIOVASCULAR PARAMETERS AND BRONCHIAL SMOOTH-MUSCLE IN THE RHESUS-MONKEY

The application of human pediatric equipment for measuring respiratory function in nonhuman primates is rapidly gaining popularity in the ev aluation of anti-asthma drugs, An important difference between primate procedures and the human clinical situation is the requirement for an esthesia for some techniques because of poor animal compliance, We stu died the actions of three potential maintenance anesthetic agents-thio pental, saffan, and propofol-and their effects on a range of cardiovas cular parameters under conditions of a broncho-provocation test in rhe sus monkeys. The spasmolytic effect of saffan on bronchial smooth musc le was investigated in smooth muscle preparations in vitro and in the rhesus monkey in vivo, Thiopental proved to be a useful sedating agent for this application, Saffan proved to be a bronchodilator in vitro, but the sedative dose was lower than that required to induce appreciab le bronchodilator activity in vivo, In comparison, propofol was not ap propriate for this application because of the poor sedative effect at nonbronchodilator doses.