Effects of Medetomidine on Analgesia and Sedation in Rats

Medetomidine의 투여가 흰쥐의 진통과 진정효과에 미치는 영향

  • Jang, Hwan-Soo (Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Brain Science and Engineering Institute Kyungpook National University) ;
  • Lee, Maan-Gee (Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Brain Science and Engineering Institute Kyungpook National University)
  • 장환수 (경북대학교 의과대학 약리학교실, 경북대학교 뇌과학연구소) ;
  • 이만기 (경북대학교 의과대학 약리학교실, 경북대학교 뇌과학연구소)
  • Accepted : 2010.10.04
  • Published : 2010.12.31

Abstract

The effects of medetomidine on the degree of analgesia and sedation in rats were evaluated. The rats were randomly divided into six groups: saline, 1 mL/kg (group 'Saline'); butorphanol, 2.0 mg/kg; medetomidine, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 or 1.6 mg/kg (group 'MED0.2', 'MED0.4', 'MED0.8' and 'MED1.6', respectively). The degree of analgesia was measured in the $50^{\circ}C$ hot-water tail-flick latency test, and the degree of sedation was evaluated using the numerical sedation score (NSS) and the righting reflex. All doses of medetomidine, except MED0.2, significantly increased the analgesic effect compared to the Saline group. Variables in the MED0.4 and MED0.8 groups, but not in the MED1.6 group, were significantly increased compared to those in the MED0.2 group. However, analgesia with all doses of medetomidine was not significantly different compared to that with butorphanol. Saline and butorphanol treatments did not induce sedation and loss of righting reflex during the recording period. NSS in the MED0.4, MED0.8 and MED1.6 groups were significantly higher than that in the MED0.2 group. NSS in the MED0.8 and MED1.6 groups were not significantly different from that in the MED0.4 group. The latency to loss of righting reflex in the MED0.8 and MED1.6 groups decreased significantly compared to that in the MED0.2 group. Thus, 0.4 and 0.8 mg/kg of medetomidine provided not only reliable analgesia but also sedation to rats. In conclusion, 0.4 to 0.8 mg/kg medetomidine could be a useful chemical restraint method in rats.

Medetomdine의 투여가 흰쥐의 진통과 진정효과에 미치는 영향에 대하여 평가하였다. 실험동물은 생리식염수 1 ml/kg 투여군 (group 'Saline'), butorphanol, 2.0 mg/kg 투여군 (group 'BUT'), medetomidine, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 or 1.6 mg/kg 투여군 (각각 group 'MED0.2', 'MED0.4', 'MED0.8' and 'MED1.6') 등 6개의 실험군으로 나누어졌다. 진통효과는 $50^{\circ}C$ hot-water tail-flick latency test로 측정하였고, 진정효과는 numerical sedation score (NSS)와 정위반사 (righting reflex)로 평가하였다. MED0.2군을 제외한 모든 medetomidine 투여군들이 Saline군에 비해 유의적인 진통효과의 증가를 보였다. MED0.2군과 비교할 때 MED0.4와 MED0.8군은 유의적인 진통효과의 상승을 보였으나, MED1.6군은 유의적인 변화를 보이지 않았다. BUT군과 모든 medetomidine 투여군은 진통효과에서 유의적인 차이를 보이지 않았다. Saline과 butorphanol의 투여는 진정효과와 정위반사의 소실을 유발하지 않았다. Medetomidine의 투여 용량의 증가는 진정효과를 증가시켰다. MED0.2군과 비교할 때 MED0.4, MED0.8과 MED1.6군의 NSS가 유의적으로 증가하였으나, MED0.4군에 비해서는 MED0.8과 MED1.6군이 유의적인 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 정위반사의 소실 시간은 MED0.2군에 비해 MED0.8과 MED1.6군이 유의적으로 감소하였다. 본 실험의 결과로 볼 때, 흰쥐에서 medetomidine 0.4에서 0.8 mg/kg 이내의 용량을 복강내 투여할 때 신뢰할 수 있는 진통효과와 진정효과를 동시에 얻을 수 있으며, 따라서 흰쥐의 진정, 진통 및 화학적 보정 목적에 적절한 용량임을 알 수 있었다.

Keywords

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