CJA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a scholarly reply
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by BRITT, B. A.
Right arrow Articles by ENDRENYI, L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by BRITT, B. A.
Right arrow Articles by ENDRENYI, L.

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 31, 130-154, Copyright © 1984 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

Dantrolene -- In Vitro Studies in Malignant Hyperthermia Susceptible (MHS) and Normal Skeletal Muscle

BEVERLEY A. BRITT MD, FRCP(C)1, ELIZABETH SCOTT MSC1, WANDA FRODIS BSC1, MARY-JEAN CLEMENTS BSC1, and LASZLO ENDRENYI PHD1

1 Departments of Anaesthesia and Pharmacology, Preventative Medicine and Biostatistics, University of Toronto, Toronto

Address correspondence to: Dr. B. A. Britt, Dept. of Anaesthesia, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Bldg., Room 5271, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8

Dantrolene sodium, a hydantoin analogue, is efficacious in the therapy of malignant hyperthermia(MH). In order to improve our knowledge of the mode of action of dantrolene, we have examined the influence of dantrolene sodium on:

(1) twitch and resting tensions, in the absence and the presence of caffeine, of intact skeletal muscle fascicles; and

(2) caffeine induced tension rises of single chemically skinned skeletal muscle fascicles.

We have found that dantrolene appears to exert its beneficial action on malignant hyperthermia susceptible(MHS) skeletal muscle by an indirect action on the sarcoplasmic reticulum(SR). Thus dantrolene inhibits twitch tensions of skeletal muscle fascicles, probably by indirectly preventing the release of calcium from the SR. To a lesser extent dantrolene inhibits caffeine induced contractures of skeletal muscle fascicles, probably by indirectly accelerating the uptake of calcium into the SR. Because the former effect is greater than the latter in vivo dantrolene sodium is effective only when given prior to total loss of calcium from the SR. Vigilant temperature and EKG monitoring of all patients during anaesthesia is, therefore, essential.

Key Words: HYPERTHERMIA: malignant, dantrolene • MUSCLE SKELETAL: caffeine, twitch tension, contracture, resting tension






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1984 by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.