STABLE ANESTHETIC SOLUTIONS OF BARBITURIC ACIDS

¹ From the Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

We have found a number of solvents which seem to be suitable for the administration of the water-insoluble acid-form of certain barbituric acid derivatives. The most versatile of these solvents are paraldehyde and triacetin. Because we do not know the pharmacology of triacetin, we have concentrated our present studies on solutions in paraldehyde.

A 30% solution in paraldehyde of 5-allyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)-barbituric acid seems suitable for the production of any desired degree of hypnosis or anesthesia by intramuscular or intravenous injection. This solution has these advantages over the commonly used aqueous alkaline solutions of barbituric acids: it can be sterilized by heat and remains stable for a long time; it is so slightly irritating that anesthetic doses can be injected intramuscularly without discomfort; the anesthetic dose is contained in a relatively small volume.

For intravenous injection it is possible that corresponding solutions of 1-methyl-5-allyl-5-isopropyl-barbituric acid (narconumal) and of 1-methyl-5-ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)-barbituric acid would also be suitable for the production of relatively short anesthesia, to be lengthened if desired by supplemental injections.