THE EFFECT OF MORPHINE AND PENTOBARBITAL ON ETHER HYPERGLYCEMIA

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Abstract
Ether and morphine produce hyperglycemia by stimulating supraspinal autonomic centers with a subsequent release of epinephrine and mobilization of liver glycogen. Large domestic rabbits (2.5-3.1 kg.) fed on "Purina Rabbit Chow" ad lib., were used at random for expts., but were never anesthetized more often than once a week. A control blood sample was taken from a marginal ear vein. Surgical anesthesia (disappearance of corneal reflex) was maintained with diethyl ether by open drop method. After 15 min. at this level, a 2d blood sample was drawn. In the series with preanesthetic medication, the control blood sample was withdrawn, and then morphine sulfate was given subcut. or Na pentobarbital intraperit. After 30 min., a 2d blood sample was obtained, and the rabbits were anesthetized as in the control series, and final blood samples drawn at the end of 15 min. of surgical anesthesia. Blood glucose was detd. by the colorimetric method of Nelson, using a Beckman model DU spectrophotometer. Standard errors and tests for significance were calculated by Fisher''s method for small samples. In the animals receiving no preanesthetic medication, blood sugar increased significantly after 15 min. of surgical anesthesia. Morphine sulfate increases blood sugar also. The use of morphine plus ether did not produce a greater hyperglycemia in rabbits than ether alone. Pre-anesthetic dose of 5-30 mg. per kg. of pentobarbital had no effect on blood glucose levels of rabbits. The 5 mg./kg. dose of pentobarbital inhibited ether hyperglycemia, and increasing the dose to 10, 15, and 30 mg./kg. increased the degree of inhibition. Whether or not different combinations of these drugs could be used during clinical anesthesia with beneficial results will require clinical investigation.