Abstract
Recent work has thrown doubt on the presumption that use of amytal (isoamyl ethyl barbituric acid) as an anesthetic is without interference to blood sugar regulation. 1 In spite of the finding of Page 2 that amytalized rabbits and dogs show normal rise in blood sugar upon splanchnic stimulation, it seemed advisable to determine whether other methods of provoking hyperglycemia would produce normal results. The dosage of amytal employed in our experiments was 50-60 mgm. per kilo intraperitoneally.
The first method tried was intravenous injection of adrenalin. To test our sample of adrenalin 0.5 cc. of a 1:1000 solution was injected into a 16 kilo normal dog, whose post absorptive blood sugar was 0.080. There was no change in 5 minutes, but 30 minutes later the blood sugar had risen to 0.160. In a 21 kilo amytalized dog 1 cc. of 1:1000 adrenalin caused a rise of blood sugar from 0.105 to 0.190 within 5 minutes, 30 minutes later it was 0.185. In an 11 kilo amytalized dog 0.5 cc. 1:1000 adrenalin caused a rise from 0.100 to 0.200 in 5 minutes and 30 minutes later it was 0.192. Injection of adrenalin produces normal hyperglycemia in amytalized dogs.
The second method used was asphyxia. A sheet of rubber dam was wrapped about the dog's muzzle and its air supply entirely cut off for exactly 2 minutes. The dogs' tongues were found to be cyanosed when the bandage was removed. The results are given in the accompanying table.
In none of the amytalized dogs did asphyxia produce the customary rise in blood sugar. Dog 6 was so severely asphyxiated that 5 minutes artificial respiration was necessary before it would breathe on its own, Even this degree of asphyxia produced no significant change in blood sugar.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.