Clonidine is a classically categorized α2-adrenoceptor (α2-AR) agonist that produces vascular contractions by stimulating arterial smooth muscle α2-ARs. However, clonidine inhibits α1-AR-mediated arterial contractions. Recently, it was suggested that repeated stimulation with clonidine induces desensitization of α2-ARs, thus inhibiting noradrenaline-induced smooth muscle contractions. In the pr...

Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists including clonidine decrease cerebral blood flow. The specific actions of clonidine on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure in humans remain to be elucidated. We evaluated the effect of oral clonidine premedication on lumbar CSF pressure in patients without intracranial disease. Seventy-four patients undergoing subarachnoidal block were divided randomly into either a c...

BACKGROUND Clonidine has been shown to be a potent neuroprotectant by acting at α(2) receptors on glutamatergic neurons to inhibit the release of glutamate. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of clonidine on the activity of EAAT3 that can regulate extracellular glutamate. METHODS EAAT3 was expressed in the Xenopus oocytes. Using a two-electrode voltage clamp, membrane current...

We have studied the ability of clonidine to potentiate morphine analgesia in 28 patients (ASA I) after meniscectomy under general anaesthesia. One hour after surgery, morphine 3 mg (n = 10), clonidine 75 micrograms (n = 8) or morphine 3 mg plus clonidine 75 micrograms (n = 10) was injected extradurally. Morphine alone and in combination with clonidine produced similar and significant analgesia ...

BACKGROUND Epidural injection of corticosteroids is a commonly used treatment for radicular pain. However, the benefits are often short lived, and repeated injections are often limited secondary to concerns of side effects from cumulative steroid doses. In addition, rare, catastrophic complications, including brain and spinal cord embolic infarcts have been attributed to particulate steroid inj...

USE of clonidine in the management of pain and opioid taper is well-established for adults. Various treatment modalities have been described, ranging from abrupt opioid cessation with clonidine substitution to gradual taper with clonidine as an adjunct. Oral administration of clonidine in neonatal abstinence syndrome has been cited as safe and effective. Short-term use of intravenous clonidine ...

Fullerene epoxides, C₆₀O(n), having epoxide groups directly attached to the fullerene cage, constitute an interesting class of fullerene derivatives. In particular, the chemical transformations of fullerene epoxides are expected to play an important role in the development of functionalized fullerenes. This is because such transformations can readily afford a variety of mono- or polyfunctionali...

The effect of clonidine administered intrathecally (i.t.) on the mortality and the blood glucose level induced by sepsis was examined in mice. To produce sepsis, the mixture of D-galactosamine (GaLN; 0.6 g/10 ml)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 27 µg/27 µl) was treated intraperitoneally (i.p.). The i.t. pretreatment with clonidine (5 µg/5 µl) increased the blood glucose level and attenuated mortality ...

BACKGROUND The alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine is used in combination with lidocaine for anaesthesia. Lidocaine inhibits axonal transport and neurite growth, whereas alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonists have neurotrophic effects. Here we have investigated whether clonidine reduces lidocaine-induced inhibition of axonal transport in cultured mouse dorsal root ganglion neurones. METHODS Axona...

When coadministered spinally, morphine and clonidine interact synergistically to produce antinociception. The mechanism for the synergism is unknown, but may depend on intracellular messenger systems. Agents that alter the activities of protein kinases alter antinociception produced by opioids, but their effects on clonidine-induced antinociception or the morphine/clonidine interaction are not ...