Barbiturates

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Barbiturates are drugs that depress the central nervous system and are often called sleeping pills. The first barbiturates were made in the 1840s by the Bayer laboratories in Germany. In 1913, the first barbiturate (barbitol) was used in medical practices. In 1922, a common barbiturate, Phenobarbital, was introduced.

There are many different types of barbiturates. The names of some common ones (and brand names) include Pentobarbital (Nembutal), Secobarbital (Seconal), Amobarbital (Amytal) and Phenobarbital (Luminal); slang names for these barbiturates include yellow jackets, reds, blues, Amy's, and rainbows.

Barbiturates have been used extensively in the past as sedatives. A new group of drugs called "benzodiazepines" has replaced many of the barbiturates. However, barbiturates are still used to treat some types of epilepsy.

Effects

Barbiturates have several effects on behavior depending on the dose: Low dosage: reduced anxiety; reduced respiration, reduced blood pressure, reduced heart rate and reduced rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

High dosage: increased/stimulated behavior (effects may be caused by depression of inhibitory brain circuits)

Barbiturates can lead to excessive sedation and cause anesthesia, coma and even death. Barbiturate overdoses may occur because the effective dose of the drug is not too far away from the lethal dose.

A major problem with barbiturates is that they may lead to tolerance and dependence. Tolerance occurs when a greater and greater and greater amount of the drug is required to get the desired effect. For example, if barbiturates are used to help a person sleep, over time and after much usage, a greater dose of the drug will be needed to get the person to sleep. Dependence occurs when a person feels like he or she must use the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur when the person stops using the drug.

Withdrawal symptoms that occur when people try to "kick the habit" of using barbiturates include:

Barbiturates and the central nervous system

Barbiturates increase the flow of chloride ions across the neuronal membrane causing hyperpolarization (a more negative resting membrane potential). This occurs by binding the ionotropic receptor for the endogenous neurotransmitter known as gamma-amino-butyric-acid or GABA (Principally the GABAa isoform of the receptor). The increased chloride ion flow reduces the chance that an excitatory action potential will be generated. This is the way in which barbiturates act as depressants of the central nervous system and are effective sedatives, anxiolytics, and anticonvulsants.

Trivia

  • The barbiturate called sodium pentothal is known as truth serum. In heavy doses, it is used for lethal injections. [1]
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