Effect of Amobarbital on Oxygen Consumption in Bovine Dental Pulp

¹ Department of Oral Pathology, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52240, USA

Respiratory inhibition by amobarbital, and by the combined action of amobarbital and cyanide, was measured in bovine dental pulp slices. The oxygen consumption rate was depressed by approximately 85% under both conditions, and it is believed that this represents almost the entire portion devoted to respiratory processes. Since a prior study showed that approximately 59% of pulpal oxygen consumption was used in cyanide-sensitive respiration, it is concluded that approximately 26% is consumed in cyanide-stable respiration. A significant portion of the remaining 15% may be involved in the hydroxylation of proline necessary for collagen synthesis in dentinogenesis.