Barbiturate treatment and membrane stability of subcellular organelles.
The experimentally well established protective effect of barbiturate anaesthesia in cerebral ischaemia and increased intracranial pressure (ICP) has been assumed to be primarily a consequence of the reduction in cerebral metabolic rate. We present the results of studies of the influence of pentobarbitone on the stability of lysosomal membranes in the grey and white matter of the cat brain. To indicate the grade of stability of share of free activity of the lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase was assayed. Animals pretreated by pentobarbitone showed a significant decrease of the share of free activity in the white matter. This indicates an increase in lysosomal membrane stability. Increased lysosomal membrane stability is regarded as a protective effect of pentobarbitone against brain ischaemia and severe head injury.
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002415:Cats; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008247:Lysosomes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005966:Glucuronidase; D010424:Pentobarbital