Non-specific prolongation of the effects of general depressants by pyrazole and 4-methylpyrazole

The liver alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitors, pyrazole and 4-methylpyrazole, have been tested for their ability to prolong drug-induced sleep times in mice. Both drugs (at 1 mmol kg-1 i.p.) prolonged the duration of loss of righting reflex following chloral hydrate, pentobarbitone, barbitone, temazepam and halothane, but not diethyl ether. This suggests that the effects of these pyrazoles are not specific to the inhibition of liver alcohol dehydrogenase.