Effect of Amytal on Skeletal Muscle

Abstract

Sodium amytal, 190 mgm. per kgm., injected intraperitoneally into rats caused a transient increase in response of normal and denervated striated muscle to electrical stimulus. That this effect is not due to changes in pH nor to changes in ionic balance has been shown by pH tests on rat blood and by intraperitoneal administration of solutions of sodium hydroxide. It is believed that the increased response is due, at least in part, to a direct action on the muscle.

The Action of Hypnotic Drugs on Frog Skeletal Muscle

“…A similar effect was observed with the rat diaphragm. Other workers have also seen this response in mammalian muscle (Huston, Martin, and Dille, 1947 ;Riedel and Huston, 1949;Secher, 1951;Kraatz, Gluckman, and Shields, 1953). Thus Secher (1951) reported this action with the rat diaphragm and Huston, Martin, and Dille (1947) observed an increase in the contractions of the gastrocnemius muscle elicited by indirect stimulation when pentobarbitone was added to the defibrinated blood perfusing a dog's isolated hind limb.…”

“…Thus Secher (1951) reported this action with the rat diaphragm and Huston, Martin, and Dille (1947) observed an increase in the contractions of the gastrocnemius muscle elicited by indirect stimulation when pentobarbitone was added to the defibrinated blood perfusing a dog's isolated hind limb. In the rat, intraperitoneal administration of amylobarbitone sodium was followed by an increased twitch from the sciatic nerve-gastrocnemius muscle preparation (Riedel and Huston, 1949) and Kraatz, Gluckman, and Shields (1953) saw, with thiopentone and pentobarbitone, a similar augmentation in tension in the indirectly stimulated anterior tibial muscles of cats and dogs.…”

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“…A similar effect was observed with the rat diaphragm. Other workers have also seen this response in mammalian muscle (Huston, Martin, and Dille, 1947 ;Riedel and Huston, 1949;Secher, 1951;Kraatz, Gluckman, and Shields, 1953). Thus Secher (1951) reported this action with the rat diaphragm and Huston, Martin, and Dille (1947) observed an increase in the contractions of the gastrocnemius muscle elicited by indirect stimulation when pentobarbitone was added to the defibrinated blood perfusing a dog's isolated hind limb.…”