Sedative effect of midazolam in different vehicles for oral administration

Context: Oral administration of midazolam is one of the most important protocols for producing adequate conscious sedation; however, it has an unpleasant taste and is poorly tolerated by pediatric patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sedative effect of diluted midazolam in different vehicles used to mask its unpleasant taste. Methods and Material: A total of 30 male mice (BALB-c) were randomly distributed in five groups. They were administered diluted midazolam in different vehicles (saline solution, paracetamol syrup, diclofenac suspension, multi-vitamin syrup, and boxed juice). All suspensions were administered orally (0.6 mg/Kg). The pH variation was evaluated with a digital pH meter, and the quality of sedation was evaluated in three tests: hole board test, grip strength test, and forced swimming test. Results: The paracetamol syrup vehicle was found to be the only vehicle which did not change its pH over time after dilution of midazolam. When evaluating the perforated platform, the greatest sedative effect was observed in the midazolam group with the paracetamol syrup (P > 0.05). Regarding grip strength, a difference was evident in all study groups at 45 minutes (P = 0.006); the midazolam group with the multi-vitamin syrup was less effective. Regarding the response time to forced swimming, the midazolam group with the paracetamol syrup presented the longest time at 15 and 30 minutes (5.39 ± 0.93 and 6.29 ± 0.83, respectively). Conclusion: The suspension of midazolam diluted in the paracetamol syrup is the most suitable for performing conscious sedation efficiently.