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The effectiveness of intraperitoneal phenobarbitone (4 mg/kg), pentobarbitone (6 mg/kg) and diazepam (2•5, 5 and 7•5 mg/ kg) in preventing lignocaine-induced seizures was studied in rats. Although the barbiturates exerted a marked depressant action on wakefulness and gait of the rats, they were still associated with a very high incidence of convulsions and deaths following 100 mg/kg intraperitoneal lignocaine hydrochloride. Diazepam, however, even in doses (2•5 and 5 mgjkg) which did not produce marked sedation was able to completely prevent convulsions. Mortality was not completely prevented as one animal in each of the groups receiving these doses died without convulsing. Diazepam in the dose of 7•5 mg/kg completely prevented the seizures as well as the mortality but exerted a more profound effect on wakefulness and gait of the animals. The effectiveness of diazepam pretreatment in preventing lignocaine-induced seizures in rats is confirmed.