Anesthesiology
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At therapeutic concentrations, cytochrome P4502B6 (CYP2B6) is the major P450 isoform catalyzing hepatic ketamine N-demethylation to norketamine in vitro. The CYP2B6 gene is highly polymorphic. The most common variant allele, CYP2B6*6, is associated with diminished hepatic CYP2B6 expression and catalytic activity compared with wild-type CYP2B6*1/*1. CYP2B6.6, the protein encoded by the CYP2B6*6 allele, and liver microsomes from CYP2B6*6 carriers had diminished ketamine metabolism in vitro. This investigation tested whether humans with the CYP2B6*6 allele would have decreased clinical ketamine metabolism and clearance. ⋯ These results show that while the CYP2B6*6 polymorphism results in diminished ketamine metabolism in vitro, this allelic variant did not affect single, low-dose ketamine metabolism, clearance, and pharmacokinetics in vivo. While in vitro drug metabolism studies may be informative, clinical investigations in general are needed to validate in vitro observations.
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Exposure to isoflurane increases apoptosis among postnatally generated hippocampal dentate granule cells. These neurons play important roles in cognition and behavior, so their permanent loss could explain deficits after surgical procedures. ⋯ These findings suggest that the dentate gyrus can restore normal neuron numbers after a single, developmental exposure to isoflurane. The authors' results do not preclude the possibility that the affected population may exhibit more subtle structural or functional deficits. Nonetheless, the dentate appears to exhibit greater resiliency relative to nonneurogenic brain regions, which exhibit permanent neuron loss after isoflurane exposure.
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Mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain relief by the neurosteroid allopregnanolone remain uncertain. We investigated if allopregnanolone attenuates glial extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation in the cuneate nucleus (CN) concomitant with neuropathic pain relief in median nerve chronic constriction injury (CCI) model rats. ⋯ Median nerve injury-induced CN glial ERK activation modulated the development of behavioral hypersensitivity. Allopregnanolone attenuated glial ERK activation and neuropathic pain via γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors. Reduced endogenous CN allopregnanolone after medroxyprogesterone administration rendered rats more susceptible to CCI-induced neuropathy.