Influence of mannitol and furosemide, alone and in combination, on brain water content after fluid percussion injury.

Background: Furosemide and mannitol are used to reduce intracranial pressure, but the impact of furosemide on edema of injured brain is unclear. The authors examined the effects of furosemide and mannitol, alone and in combination, on brain water content in brain-injured rats.

Methods: Anesthetized rats were subjected to a 2.

Pharmacological effects of intravenous melatonin: comparative studies with thiopental and propofol.

Background: Possible utility of high-dose i.v. melatonin as an anaesthetic adjuvant has not been studied.

Brain expression of inducible cyclooxygenase 2 messenger RNA in rats undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: We hypothesized that systemic proinflammatory cytokines or endotoxemia, or both, associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) would increase expression of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) or inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) messenger RNA (mRNA), or both, in brain.

Methods: Isoflurane-anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly selected for CPB (n = 6) or sham surgery (n = 6). All animals underwent tracheotomy and controlled ventilation, arterial and venous pressure monitoring, insertion of a jugular venous outflow catheter, insertion of a subclavian arterial inflow catheter, systemic anticoagulation (500 U/kg heparin) and, except during CPB, servoregulation of pericranial temperature at 37.