Pharmacokinetic and clinical study of ropivacaine and bupivacaine in women receiving extradural analgesia in labour.

We have compared, in a randomized, double-blind study, the pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine and bupivacaine during labour. Total and free plasma concentrations of ropivacaine and bupivacaine were measured after the first of two extradural doses. The main dose was 20 mg (test dose) and 30 mg, with a top-up dose of 25 mg when requested.

Feto-maternal distribution of ropivacaine and bupivacaine after epidural administration for cesarean section.

Ropivacaine is a new amino amide local anesthetic less lipophilic and with a lower affinity for plasma proteins than bupivacaine. The purpose of this study was to examine the feto-maternal distribution of ropivacaine and bupivacaine after epidural administration for cesarean section. Healthy parturients were randomly allocated in a double-blinded manner to receive either 0.

The effects of epidural ropivacaine and bupivacaine for cesarean section on uteroplacental and fetal circulation.

Background: Ropivacaine is a new long-acting amide local anesthetic that has been shown in animal studies to have less dysrhythmogenic and cardiotoxic potential than bupivacaine. The intravenous administration of ropivacaine has not been associated with any detrimental effects on uterine blood flow in pregnant ewes. The purpose of this randomized, double-blind study was to examine the effects of epidural ropivacaine for cesarean section on blood flow velocity waveforms in uteroplacental and fetal arteries with color Doppler ultrasound and to assess whether the block modified fetal myocardial function.

CCKB receptor activation reduces glutamate-induced depolarization in slices of rat cerebral cortex.

Recent studies on cell cultures have indicated that the neuropeptide cholecystokinin (CCK) can prevent glutamate-induced cytotoxicity. In a preparation of rat cortical tissue placed into a two-compartment bath, the cortical tissue could be depolarized, relative to the corpus callosum, by superfusions of KCl or glutamate (1.25-10 mM).

Functional changes in GABAA receptor stimulation during the oestrous cycle of the rat.

1. Slices of rat cuneate nucleus were used to study whether or not gonadal steroids influence the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system in vivo. Females in different stages of the oestrous cycle as well as steroid-treated (oestrogen, progesterone or both) ovariectomized animals were used.

The behavioural effects of chronic elevation of rat brain GABA by ethanolamine O-sulphate.

This study examined the functional effects of long-term elevated brain GABA concentrations. The increase in GABA was achieved by use of the GABA-aminotransferase (GABA-T) inhibitor, ethanolamine O-sulphate (EOS). Forms of exploratory behaviour pre viously demonstrated to be sensitive to GABAergic receptor stimulation were measured over a 4 week period of EOS treatment.

Behavioural and biochemical effects of muscimol in ethanolamine O-sulphate-treated rats.

A behavioural model, accompanied by biochemical analysis, was used to study the effects of the GABA-A receptor agonist muscimol on untreated and ethanolamine O- sulphate (EOS)-treated male rats. The most pronounced effect of muscimol was a lengthening of the duration of investigating behaviour. Pretreatment with EOS for 29 days potentiated this effect.

Dopamine mediated behavior and GABA influence.

The possibility of interactions between GABA and dopaminergic central nervous mechanisms in the expression of spontaneous behavior was investigated using the behavior pattern shown by male rats in an exploratory test situation. The present study corroborates the facilitatory action of low doses of the dopamine agonist apomorphine on the investigative activity element of the male rats exploratory behavior pattern, as shown previously. In addition it was found that the GABA agonist baclofen in different doses (1.