Sodium Pentathol

Sodium Pentathol is a barbiturate that makes the neural membrane more permeable to chloride ions, resulting in general inhibition, starting with the cortex and working down to the lower brain regions with increasing biological effect. In its typical form it is a yellowish-white hygroscopic powder having a garlic-like odor. It is soluble in water and alcohol. Because of its effects it is known as a truth serum and used in interrogation.

Dosage

At an appropriate dosage, you get just enough neural inhibitory effect to create an alcohol-like disinhibition of normal behavioral restraints. At a higher dosage, but not high enough to cause unconsciousness, you may create a stupor and inhibit independent thought and action to a greater extent. The result is that you become more suggestible and less willful. A context for either recalling memories or constructing new ones may then be created by an operator. The actual veracity of the testimony achieved in this manner will be impossible to determine from a single session alone. There is some overlap with the old practice of using ethyl ether to aid in obtaining a psychodynamic 'catharsis,' which may or may not relate to actual events in the patients personal history, and overlap with some aspects of the use of hypnosis for similar purposes.