Liver phosphorylase a activity in intact animals is mostly determined during anesthesia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of administering pentobarbital by different routes on activity of liver phosphorylase a. Rats had chronically implanted venous catheters and received pentobarbital (5 mg/100 g body wt) either intraperitoneally, as a slow intravenous infusion, or as an intravenous or intracardial bolus. Times from administration of barbiturate to sampling of the liver were 10 min, 10 min, 85 +/- 32 s (mean +/- SE), and 53 +/- 10 s, respectively. Phosphorylase a activity in % of total phosphorylase activity was 40 +/- 2, 56 +/- 4, 82 +/- 3, and 92 +/- 2, respectively, all significantly different. Thus the route of administration of pentobarbital affects the phosphorylase a activity and should be considered when evaluating this activity. This fact can only be partially explained by differences in duration before the drug takes effect. It is proposed that intraperitoneal injection of pentobarbital may anesthetize hepatic sympathetic nerves or have a direct inhibiting effect on phosphorylase a activity.