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Acute effects of phenytoin on peripheral nerve function in the rat
Author(s) -
Marcus Donald J.,
Swift Thomas R.,
McDonald Thomas F.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.880040109
Subject(s) - phenytoin , nerve conduction velocity , anesthesia , compound muscle action potential , peripheral , nerve conduction , medicine , peripheral nerve , chemistry , endocrinology , electrophysiology , anatomy , epilepsy , psychiatry
The acute effect of intraperitoneal injection of phenytoin on rat peripheral nerve was studied. Conduction velocities in the ventral caudal nerve were measured hourly and phenytoin blood levels were obtained 4 to 5 hours after injection. Conduction velocity decreased by 23% in the 25 phenytoin‐treated animals from a control value of 30.0 ± 1.3 m/sec (mean ± SEM) to a 4‐hour value of 23.0 ± 1.3 m/sec ( P < 0.001). The phenytoin blood level 4 hours after injection was 45.0 ± 1.3 μg/ml. Amplitudes of evoked muscle action potentials in the treated group decreased by 37% from control values. High levels of phenytoin induce prompt slowing of nerve conduction velocity within hours, which may be mediated by mechanisms similar to those responsible for toxic central effects.