Pentobarbital anesthesia: lack of effect on venous prostaglandins in dogs.

Venous prostaglandins A, E, and F were determined by radioimmunoassay in 10 dogs before and one hour after administration of sodium pentobarbital (35 mg/Kg, iv). In the conscious state, PGA was 0.34 + 0.04 ng/ml (mean +/- SE), PGE 0.20 + 0.01 ng/ml, and PGF 0.25 + 0.03 ng/ml. During pentobarbital anesthesia, these levels were unchanged (p greater than 0.05). Thus, pentobarbital anesthesia had no effect on peripheral venous prostaglandin levels.