Abstract
Conclusions
The acute toxicity and lethal brain concentration of sodium pentobarbital were determined in newborn rats, young rats of several age groups and adult albino rats. The LD50 of pentobarbital in newborn rats was approximately one-third that of rats 20 days of age and older. Similarly, the lethal concentration of pentobarbital found in the brain tissue of newborn rats was approximately one-third that found in brain tissue of rats 20 days old. Therefore it is concluded that brain tissue of newborn rats per se is more sensitive to depressant effect of pentobarbital than that of adult rats. The incomplete pial-glial barrier of newborn rats does not allow an inordinate sequestration of pentobarbital into brain tissue.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.