Effects of indomethacin and nicotinic acid on E. coli endotoxin shock in anesthetized dogs.

The effects of single and multiple doses of indomethacin and multiple doses of nicotinic acid upon Escherichia coli endotoxin shock were studied in mongrel dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Survival, cardiac output, plasma volume loss, and mean arterial pressure were measured. Untreated animals did not survive the procedure; animals treated with either multiple doses of indomethacin or nicotinic acid did survive for 5 hours after endotoxin. Plasma volume losses of indomethacin and nicotinic acid treated animals were substantially less (p less than 0.05) than in untreated animals. Arterialpressures of indomethacin-treated animals were greater than that of either nicotinic acid treated or untreated animals. No differences in cardiac output were noted in surviving animals.