Diethylstilbestrol counteracts barbiturate narcosis and hypothermia in male mice

Treatment with DES one hour prior to pentobarbital injection resulted in diminution of the narcotic sleep and hypothermia usually found after pentobarbital (50 mg/kg 1) injection in male mice. The effect was biphasic: significantly countered relative to saline pretreated controls at low (.001-.10 mg/kg 1) and at high (10-50 mg/kg -1) DES doses only. Giving DES alone did not change core body temperature compared to saline injected controls, at either 25 degrees C or at 33 degrees C. At 33 degrees C, neither PeB narcosis nor body temperature loss was significantly inhibited by DES. Possible cytoplasmic, nonsex differentiated bases for these estrogen effects on barbiturate action in the brain is discussed.