Thiopental prevents anoxic depolarization during anoxia in area CA1 of rat hippocampal slices

The current study was designed to determine whether general anesthetics which have been suggested to induce prophylaxis against hypoxia can attenuate the incidence of anoxic depolarization (AD) using rat hippocampal CA1. The effects of anoxia (13 min) on the evoked extracellularly recorded field potentials of CA1 neurons were assessed in the absence or presence of intravenous general anesthetics (thiopental, propofol) and volatile anesthetic (isoflurane). Results: Thiopental could retard the onset of AD (259 s) with 13-min anoxia, whereas the non-treated, isoflurane and propofol did not prolong the initiation of AD. Conclusion: It is concluded that the prophylactic effect of thiopental against anoxia might be induced, in part, by preventing or retardation of the generation of AD.