Preliminary evaluation of the efficacy and safety of brimonidine for general anesthesia

BACKGROUND: To determine the hypnotic and analgesic effects of brimonidine, and evaluate its efficacy and safety for general anesthesia. Potentiation of pentobarbital sleeping time following brimonidine administration was observed in mice, as was the analgesic activity of brimonidine. METHODS: The median effective dose (ED(50)) and lethal dose (LD(50)) of intraperitoneally injected brimonidine were determined in hypnotized mice. In addition, the LD(50) of intravenously injected brimonidine, and ED(50) of intravenously, intramuscularly, and intrarectally injected brimonidine in hypnotized rabbits were determined. Finally, the synergistic anesthetic effect of brimonidine and chloral hydrate was evaluated in rabbits. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal injection of 10 mg/kg brimonidine enhanced the hypnotic effect of a threshold dose of pentobarbital. Intraperitoneally injected brimonidine produced dose-related analgesic effects in mice. The ED(50) of intraperitoneally administered brimonidine in hypnotized mice was 75.7 mg/kg and the LD(50) was 379 mg/kg. ED(50) values of intravenous, intramuscular, and intrarectal brimonidine for hypnosis in rabbits were 5.2 mg/kg, 8.8 mg/kg, and 8.7 mg/kg, respectively; the LD(50) of intravenous brimonidine was 146 mg/kg. Combined intravenous administration of 0.6 mg/kg brimonidine and 0.03 g/kg chloral hydrate had a synergistic anesthetic effect. CONCLUSIONS: Brimonidine elicited hypnotic and analgesic effects after systemic administration and exhibited safety. Moreover, brimonidine enhanced the effects of other types of narcotics when combined. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12871-021-01516-1.