HEPATIC ENERGY-CHARGE AND ADENINE-NUCLEOTIDE STATUS IN RATS ANESTHETIZED WITH HALOTHANE, ISOFLURANE OR ENFLURANE

Background: Volatile anesthetics are known to have varying effects on hepatic oxygen supply in vivo and have been shown to depress hepatic m itochondrial respiration and so energy charge in vitro. However, the e ffect of halothane, isoflurane and enflurane on hepatic adenine nucleo tide status in vivo has not been evaluated. Methods: Ninety male rats were exposed to 40% oxygen (n=22) or 40% oxygen in equipotent (1 MAC) concentrations of halothane (1%) (n=23), isoflurane (1.4%) (n=22) or e nflurane (2%) (n=23) for 2 hours. All animals were then administered i ntraperitoneal pentobarbital and anesthesia continued and laparotomy w as performed. A liver biopsy was taken for determination of hepatocell ular adenosine-5-triphosphate (ATP), adenosine-5-diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine-5-monophosphate (AMP) and computation of energy charge (EC) from [(ATP+1/2ADP)divided by-(ATP+ADP+AMP)] and total adenine nucleot ides (TAN) from (ATP+ADP+AMP). After the biopsy the aorta was cannulat ed for blood sampling. Results: Rats in each group were similar in wei ght, as well as acid base and blood gas status just after liver biopsy . Hepatic energy charge, ATP, ADP, AMP, and TAN levels were not differ ent in animals receiving either halothane, isoflurane or enflurane whe n compared with those receiving only oxygen. Conclusion: One MAC of an esthesia for a period of 2 hours with the described volatile anestheti c agents did not affect adenine nucleotide status in vivo in rats. (C) Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica 41 (1997).