Experimental cerebral infarctioneffects of pentobarbital in Mongolian gerbils

Unilateral ligation of thecarotid artery was done in 110 gerbils anesthetized with either and 78 anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. Thirty of the ether-anesthetized animals received no tratment. Starting one hour after ligation, 38 animals from each anesthesia group were given 3 mg/50 gm of body wight of pentobarbital intraperitoneally every eight hours for 72 hours. The remaining animals received normal saline on the same treatment schedule. Morbidity and mortality were recorded for the next six days. Eighty-five animals (45.2%) developed cerebral infarction. Only ten of the 38 animals (2693%) anesthetized and treated with pentobarbital developed infarction. The percentage of infarction in the remaining groups ranged from 45% to 53%. There were no significant differences among the groups in the number of deaths or in the location or extent of the lesion.