EFFECT OF SOME DRUGS ON THE POLARIZATION STATE OF SPINAL CORD ELEMENTS

Abstract

Most of the narcotics investigated (ether, Na pentobarbital, dial, pentothal, avertin, chloroform) caused a uniform depolarization of the spinal neuron. Chloral seems to depolarize the nerve cell more than the fibers. The anticonvulsants, dilantin and mesantoin, produced considerable uniform depolarization in doses which did not affect knee jerk and flexion reflex. Of the alkaloids examined, cocaine produced a uniform depolarization. Morphine and strychnine did not depolarize the spinal cord elements. The strychnine convulsions, however, produce a functional depolarization. A barbiturate with convulsive properties (sodium 1,3-dimethylbutylethylbarbiturate) probably caused functional depolarization due to the convulsive discharges, but depolarized in higher concns. like the narcotic barbiturates. The phenomena observed are discussed in relation to the pharmacological actions of the drugs investigated.