Inhibition by Barbiturates of Barium-Stimulated Intestinal Motility

¹ From the Department of Gastro-Intestinal Research, Medical Research Institute of Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

Following our demonstration that barium-stimulated intestinal activity could be depressed or inhibited with atropine, we have found that barbiturates had similar effects. In normal male and female mongrel dogs, anesthetized with chloralose-urethane, intestinal motility was stimulated by constant intravenous injection of BaCl₂, and motility was registered by a balloon kymograph system. Nembutal, barbital and Amytal sodium, given intravenously, depressed motility of the small and large intestine in most instances, but the effects of the different barbiturates varied. It is concluded that barbiturates may depress cholinergic effects of barium, but also that they may depress smooth muscle directly.