Effects of subchronic intermittent exposure to isoflurane in Swiss Webster mice.

ABSTRACT

Swiss Webster mice were treated to determine if subchronic intermittent exposure to the inhalation anesthetic isoflurane causes organ toxicity or enhances its own metabolism or that of other anesthetics. One-hundred twenty, four-week-old male and female mice were exposed to compressed air or to 0.02%, 0.1% or 0.5% of isoflurane for four hours per day, five days per week for nine weeks. Body weights among the groups were the same prior to exposure. Overall, there were no significant differences in body weights among exposure groups (ANOVA with day as a repeated measure: females - F = 2.12, P = 0.1085; males - F = 1.80, P = 0.1583). There was, however, a significant interaction of group and days; differences were isolated to the start of exposure (weeks 1 through 3 for females; week 2 for males). At all times, differences remained within 10% of the control body weights. Organ weights (liver, spleen, kidney, testis and uterus), hematocrits, and SGOT levels were similar among exposure groups. Histologic evaluation of organs revealed no anesthetic-related organ toxicity. The concentration of hepatic cytochromes, b5 and P-450, per mg of microsomal protein were similar among exposure groups and between sexes. The rates of hepatic microsomal metabolism (defluorination) of three volatile halogenated ether anesthetics (methoxyflurane, enflurane, and isoflurane) were not different among groups following nine weeks of exposure. Isoflurane exposures of 0.5% or less for four hours per day for five days per week would appear to be the maximum tolerated concentration for any chronic study. Since there was no evidence of organ toxicity or of enhanced or inhibited hepatic microsomal enzyme activity, isoflurane seems to be relatively non-toxic inhalation anesthetic under the conditions of this study.