Do Nitrous Oxide and Lidocaine Modify the BloodBrain Barrier in Acute Hypertension in the Rat?

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Abstract
Acute hypertension was induced by epinephrine or bicuculline [BC] in rats mechanically ventilated with 70% N2O in O2, in unrestrained rats breathing the same gas mixture, and in conscious unrestrained rats breathing air. The unrestrained rats had permanent indwelling catheters in the aorta and in 1 jugular vein. The rats were killed 3 min after the pressure rise and the brains perfused in situ with saline. The protein leakage into the brain was studied with Evans blue-albumin and 125IHSA (human serum albumin). The extravasation of 125IHSA in unrestrained rats breathing N2O was higher than in rats breathing air after injection of BC, but the difference was not statistically significant. Lidocaine significantly decreased the protein leakage in both conscious and anesthetized rats. Vascular tone and endothelial cell membrane properties can apparently influence the hypertensive blood-barrier dysfunction.