Novel approaches to alleviating opoid-induced side effects in etorphine-immobilised ungulates

The potent opioid etorphine is essential for the chemical immobilisation of large herbivores. While etorphine induces a rapid and reliable immobilisation, respiratory compromise leading to hypoxaemia, hypercapnia and acidosis remains a significant concern in immobilised wild animals. Etorphine is believed to cause respiratory compromise via mu-receptor activation in the brainstem, as well as inducing an increased sympathetic response leading to pulmonary hypertension. Serotonin agonists, and specifically 5-HT4 receptor agonists, attenuate centrally-mediated opioid-induced respiratory depression as 5-HT4 receptors are co-expressed with mu-opioid receptors on respiratory neurons in the brainstem, but display opposing actions. The 5-HT4 receptor agonist BIMU-8 has shown promise in initial studies aimed at mitigating opioid-induced respiratory depression without affecting sedation or analgesia. It is also thought, that peripherally-acting alpha-2-adrenoceptor antagonists may reduce some of the negative effects of an etorphine-induced sympathetic response, especially in the pulmonary vasculature. In this study, we will investigate whether BIMU-8, and the peripherally-acting alpha-2-antagonist vatinoxan attenuate etorphine-induced respiratory compromise without affecting sedation or leading to additional undesirable physiological changes.

The Scholarship in Commemoration of Her Royal Heighness Princess Chulabhorn´s 60th Birthday Anniversary

Klinisches Zentrum für Kleintiere
Forschungsinstitut für Wildtierkunde und Ökologie
Klinisches Zentrum für Kleintiere

Universität Helsinki
Funktion: Partner
Universität für Bodenkultur
Funktion: Partner
Abteilung: Institut für Chemie nachwachsender Rohstoffe
University of Pretoria, Department of Anatomy and Physiology
Funktion: Partner