Barbiturate Poisoning and Gastrointestinal Propulsion

Anaesthetic doses of pentobarbitone (50 mg/kg) were found to inhibit gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit in the rat. Gastric emptying was more profoundly suppressed than gastrointestinal transit. Phenobarbitone (150 mg/kg) had a similar effect. Since pentobarbitone and phenobarbitone also blocked the peristaltic reflex in the isolated small intestine of the guinea-pig, it would appear that the inhibitory effect of anaesthetic doses of barbiturates on gastrointestinal motility is mainly due to a direct action on the digestive tract. Together with the observation that considerable amounts of phenobarbitone were found in the stomach of an intoxicated patient 3 days after drug intake, these results might indicate that gastric lavage should also be considered in the treatment of protracted barbiturate poisoning.