Comparison of sleeping time, immobility time and arousal time in mice

Abstract

The sodium salts of the five barbiturate hypnotics hexoba rbitone, pentobarbitone amylobarbitone, secobarbitone and phenobarbitone, were studied in mice for their effect on duration of sleeping time, immobility time and arousal time. The latter measurement is described herein for the first time and is a measure of the duration of sleep with a moderate shocking stimulus to differentiate sedation and hypnosis in the mouse. The comparative potency of the drugs by these measurements is evaluated.