[Content of phenobarbital in some tissues of the fetus and mother (author's transl)]. / Zawartosc fenobarbitalu w niektórych tkankach plodu i matki

There were performed estimations of the phenobarbital content in the placenta and in the liver and kidney of the mother and fetus after prolonged administration of this drug to pregnant females. Phenobarbital was injected in two various doses: 1/10 LD50 and 1/20 LD50. The mean results of the determinations were in all examined tissues higher in the group receiving 1/20 LD50. These results were, however, statistically significant only in the placenta. No significant differences were found in the kidney of the fetus as far as the variability of results is concerned, but liver and placenta showed a highly significant variability in the group receiving 1/20 LD50. A positive correlation was found between the content of phenobarbital in placenta and liver, and the content in placenta and kidney in the 1/20 LD50 group. The ability of phenobarbital to pass through the placenta as well as the fairly high content of this drug found in the fetus tissues points out its possibility to damage the organs of the developing fetus, and by the same--the necessity to be careful during prolonged administration of this drug in pregnancy.