[The effect of previous administration of adrenaline or isoprenaline on the activity of several hypnotics in mice].

Previous administration of adrenaline (0.5 mg/kg i.p.) and isoprenaline (10 mg/kg i.p.) enhances activity of several hypnotic drugs (pentobarbital, barbital, chloral hydrate) in mice but is without effect upon hypnotic activity of ethanol. This potentialisation is blocked by previous administration of pindolol, but not by phentolamine. Administration of SKF 525 A demonstrates that metabolism of pentobarbital is modified by this enzymatic inhibitor, which is not the case for other hypnotics.