Microwave hyperthermia enhancement of methotrexate absorption in rat brains

The author studied enhanced absorption of methotrexate (MTX) in brains of male Wistar (10 weeks old, 500g) subjected to microwave hyperthermia. The rat was anesthetized using 40 mg/kg of sodium pentobarbital, IP and was placed in a stereotaxic head holder. Microwave energy (2450 MHz, 2.6 W/cm/sup 2/, CW) were applied directly to the left side of the rat's head by a coaxial applicator for 20 min. The body temperature was kept at 37.80C. The brain temperature recorded in a similar group of animals using a Vitek probe was about 450C. Three different MTX dosages, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, were injected intravenously immediately following microwave irradiation into three groups of rats in 1.5, 3 and 6 min., respectively. MTX was allowed to circulate for five min. before brains were removed for analysis. Standard HPLC procedures were applied to samples from anterior and posterior left hemisphere of the cerebrum, and the cerebellum. Samples from the right hemisphere were used for controls. The average absorption at the posterior left hemisphere was found to be 2.4, 9.6 and 12.4μg of MTX/g of brain tissue for 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. These results indicate that MTX absorption is significantly increased in rat brains subjected to microwave hyperthermia treatment