chloral betaine

Chloral betaine is a sedative-hypnotic agent consisting of a chemical complex of chloral hydrate and betaine. It was developed to provide a stable, solid dosage form of chloral hydrate, which is otherwise a volatile solid with an unpleasant taste and irritant properties. Upon ingestion, the complex dissociates into its constituent parts; the chloral hydrate is then rapidly metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase into trichloroethanol, the active metabolite responsible for the drug's pharmacological effects. Trichloroethanol acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the GABA-A receptor, enhancing inhibitory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. Historically, chloral betaine was used for the short-term treatment of insomnia and as a preoperative sedative, particularly in elderly or mentally disturbed patients, though it has largely been replaced by safer alternatives such as benzodiazepines.

Brand names

Beta-Chlor

Other names

BetachlorChloral betaine complexBetaine chloral hydrate