pentobarbital

Pentobarbital is a short-acting barbiturate used as a sedative and hypnotic agent. It is primarily employed for short-term treatment of insomnia (not exceeding two weeks), preanesthetic sedation, and emergency control of seizures. In high doses, it can induce coma or cause death by respiratory arrest and is used for euthanasia in both veterinary and human medicine. Pentobarbital acts by potentiating the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at GABA-A receptors in the central nervous system[2][3][8]. Developed by Abbott Laboratories chemists Ernest H. Volwiler and Donalee L. Tabern in 1930[3].

Brand names

NembutalNembutal Sodium

Other names

pentobarbitone5-ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)-pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione5-ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)barbituric acid5-ethyl-5-(sec-pentyl)barbituric acid