Effects of halothane on calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit psoas and semitendinosus skinned muscle fibers.

Calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum was investigated using skinned fibers isolated from rabbit semitendinosus and psoas muscles, representative of slow and fast fibers, respectively. In both types of fibers, halothane at the concentration of 0.03% (v/v) enhanced the Ca2(+)-induced calcium release. In the absence of cytoplasmic free Ca2+, halothane induced calcium release in a dose-dependent manner, with a similar sensitivity for both semitendinosus and psoas fibers. These results are discussed in connection with muscular diseases such as malignant hyperthermia in which the crisis is triggered during anesthesia by halothane.