The effect of ouabain and digitoxin on hexobarbitone sleeping time in the mouse

The effect of ouabain and digitoxin upon the duration of loss of righting reflex produced by hexobarbitone in mice pretreated with the liver microsomal enzyme inhibitor SKF 525 A was studied. Both ouabain and, to a greater extent digitoxin, produced a dose dependent potentiation of the activity of hexobarbitone. These results confirm and extend previous observations and may be explained by a direct interaction at the level of the CNS and by a modified distribution of the barbiturate. Furthermore, they re-emphasize the possibility of such an interaction in the clinic.