Biomaterial Database

Barbiturate withdrawal and magnesium deficiency in mice. 1978

J K Belknap, and J H Berg, and G Ondrusek, and S Waddingham

C57BL/6J male mice rendered physically dependent on phenobarbital exhibited significantly lower whole-brain and serum-magnesium concentrations than did control mice. The symptoms of phenobarbital withdrawal were remarkably similar to those seen in magnesium-deficient mice exposed to a low-magnesium diet without drug exposure. These findings suggest that brain magnesium deficits produced by chronic phenobarbital withdrawal could contribute to the observed phenobarbital withdrawal syndrome. Administration of MgSO4 during withdrawal significantly reduced the incidence of tonicclonic and lethal tonic seizures.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008274	Magnesium	A metallic element that has the atomic symbol Mg, atomic number 12, and atomic weight 24.31. It is important for the activity of many enzymes, especially those involved in OXIDATIVE PHOSPHORYLATION.
D008275	Magnesium Deficiency	A nutritional condition produced by a deficiency of magnesium in the diet, characterized by anorexia, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, and weakness. Symptoms are paresthesias, muscle cramps, irritability, decreased attention span, and mental confusion, possibly requiring months to appear. Deficiency of body magnesium can exist even when serum values are normal. In addition, magnesium deficiency may be organ-selective, since certain tissues become deficient before others. (Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 12th ed, p1936)	Deficiency, Magnesium,Deficiencies, Magnesium,Magnesium Deficiencies
D008297	Male		Males
D008810	Mice, Inbred C57BL	One of the first INBRED MOUSE STRAINS to be sequenced. This strain is commonly used as genetic background for transgenic mouse models. Refractory to many tumors, this strain is also preferred model for studying role of genetic variations in development of diseases.	Mice, C57BL,Mouse, C57BL,Mouse, Inbred C57BL,C57BL Mice,C57BL Mice, Inbred,C57BL Mouse,C57BL Mouse, Inbred,Inbred C57BL Mice,Inbred C57BL Mouse
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D010634	Phenobarbital	A barbituric acid derivative that acts as a nonselective central nervous system depressant. It potentiates GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID action on GABA-A RECEPTORS, and modulates chloride currents through receptor channels. It also inhibits glutamate induced depolarizations.	Phenemal,Phenobarbitone,Phenylbarbital,Gardenal,Hysteps,Luminal,Phenobarbital Sodium,Phenobarbital, Monosodium Salt,Phenylethylbarbituric Acid,Acid, Phenylethylbarbituric,Monosodium Salt Phenobarbital,Sodium, Phenobarbital
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia