Apomorphine may prevent death due to barbiturate overdose in mice

Male HS mice were injected with 150 mg/kg pentobarbital (i.p) and were divided into three groups receiving 0 (saline control), 2 or 4 mg/kg apomorphine (S.C.) 5 min before pentobarbital injection and at 45, 90, 180 and 300 min post injection. While 75% of the control mice died, only 29% of the animals treated with 2 mg/kg apomorphine died (p<0.001) after pentobarbital overdose. Though the 4 mg/kg dose was less effective, it still decreased death to 50% (p<0.05). These results are consistent with the suggestion that central resistance to barbiturates may be related, at least in part, to the sensitivity of DA receptors. The possibility that this may have clinical applicability to instances of serious barbiturate overdose warrants further investigation.