INFLUENCE OF THE LIVER AND THE KIDNEY ON THE DURATION OF ANESTHESIA PRODUCED BY BARBITURATES

Abstract

Expts. on detoxification (inactivation or elimination) of barbiturates were performed with 29 compounds on partially hepatectomized or completely nephrectomized rats. For each compound the degree of detoxification in the liver or the kidney was represented by "index of detoxification"; i.e., avg. duration of anesthesia of control animals/avg. duration of anesthesia of exptl. animals. It is suggested that barbiturates be classified in 4 groups. Group I: those detoxified mainly in the kidney (e.g., barbital, phenobarbital). Group II: those detoxified mainly in the liver (e.g., ipral, amytal, nembutal, ortal, alurate, nostal, seconal, allyl-pental, evipal, thioethamyl). Group III: those detoxified approx. equally in liver and kidney (e.g., neonal, delvinal, phanodorn, dial). Group IV: those possibly detoxified in all the tissues of the body but not to any great extent in liver or kidney (e.g., pentothal, propyl 1-methylallyl and allyl 1-methylallyl thiobarbiturates).