(RS)-pentobarbital
Also known as (±)-pentobarbital, NSC 28708, pentobarbituric acid, 5-ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)barbituric acid, 5-ethyl-5-(sec-pentyl)barbituric acid, 5-ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione, pentobarbitone, 5-ethyl-5-(1-methyl-butyl)-pyrimidine-2,4,6-trione
Pentobarbital (US) or pentobarbitone (British and Australian) is a short-acting barbiturate typically used as a sedative, a preanesthetic, and to control convulsions in emergencies. It can also be used for short-term treatment of insomnia but has been largely replaced by the benzodiazepine family of drugs.
Key facts
- Drug.verifiedrevid
- 464198399
- Drug.image
- Pentobarbital 2d.svg
- Drug.image_class
- skin-invert-image
- Drug.width
- 115
- Drug.caption
- Above: molecular structure of pentobarbitone (keto form) Below: 3D representation of pentobarbitone (keto form) molecule
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- Pentobarbitone 3D.png
- Drug.image_class2
- bg-transparent
- Drug.tradename
- Nembutal
- Drug.MedlinePlus
- a682416
- Drug.DailyMedID
- Pentobarbital
- Drug.pregnancy_AU
- C
- Drug.routes_of_administration
- By mouth, intravenous, intramuscular, rectal
~8 min read
Article
11 sectionsContents
- Uses
- Medical
- Euthanasia and assisted suicide
- Execution
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacokinetics
- Drug interactions
- Chemistry
- Society and culture
- References
Pentobarbital (US) or pentobarbitone (British and Australian) is a short-acting barbiturate typically used as a sedative, a preanesthetic, and to control convulsions in emergencies. It can also be used for short-term treatment of insomnia but has been largely replaced by the benzodiazepine family of drugs.
In high doses, pentobarbital causes death by respiratory arrest. It is frequently used for veterinary euthanasia, and is used by some US states and the United States federal government for executions of convicted criminals by lethal injection. In some countries and states, it is also used for physician-assisted suicide.