Changes in body temperature and oxygen consumption in rabbits following the administration of sodium amytal

Summary

In comparing the changes of body temperature and of oxygen intake in rabbits after sodium amytal injection no direct relationship was noted between the changes of the BMR level and body temperature (Fig. 1).

Sodium amytal given in a dose of 40 mg/kg reduces the oxygen intake by 19–38% with respect to the inital level. The highest reduction occurred in 1–2 (at times in 3–4) hours. With increase of the dose of this narcotic (100, 200 mg/kg) there are seen hypothermia and a drop of oxygen intake (Fig. 3).

Body temperature dropped in 4–6 hours by 3.6–7.8°C, whereas oxygen intake-by 43–58% already in 1–4 hours.

Oxygen intake decreases in the majority of experiments earlier than body temperature. This leads to a conclusion that reduction of body temperature under the action of sodium amytal is to some extent the result of primary BMR reduction.