Pentobarbital

Not to be confused with phenobarbital or sodium pentothal.

Pentobarbital
Clinical data
Trade namesNembutal
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa682416
License data
Pregnancy
category
  • AU: C
Routes of
administration		By mouth, intravenous, intramuscular, rectal
Drug classBarbiturate
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability70–90% (oral); 90% (rectal)
Protein binding20–45%
MetabolismLiver
Elimination half-life15–48 hours
ExcretionKidney
Identifiers
  • 5-Ethyl-5-(1-methylbutyl)-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.000.895 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC11H18N2O3
Molar mass226.276 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • O=C1NC(=O)NC(=O)C1(C(C)CCC)CC
  • InChI=1S/C11H18N2O3/c1-4-6-7(3)11(5-2)8(14)12-10(16)13-9(11)15/h7H,4-6H2,1-3H3,(H2,12,13,14,15,16) checkY
  • Key:WEXRUCMBJFQVBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  (verify)

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.[3] 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 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.[4] In some countries and states, it is also used for physician-assisted suicide.[5][6]

Pentobarbital was widely abused beginning in the late 1930s and sometimes known as "yellow jackets" due to the yellow color of Nembutal-branded capsules.[7] Pentobarbital in oral (pill) form is not commercially available.[4][failed verification]

Pentobarbital was developed by Ernest H. Volwiler and Donalee L. Tabern [de] at Abbott Laboratories in 1930.

  1. ^ "Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard—June 2024) Instrument 2024". 30 May 2024.
  2. ^ Anvisa (31 March 2023). "RDC Nº 784 - Listas de Substâncias Entorpecentes, Psicotrópicas, Precursoras e Outras sob Controle Especial" [Collegiate Board Resolution No. 784 - Lists of Narcotic, Psychotropic, Precursor, and Other Substances under Special Control] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Diário Oficial da União (published 4 April 2023). Archived from the original on 3 August 2023. Retrieved 16 August 2023.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Palmer K (28 October 2013). "Ohio says it will switch to new drugs for executions". Reuters.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference ABC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stuff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cozanitis, Dimitri A (December 2004). "One hundred years of barbiturates and their saint". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. 97 (12): 594–598. ISSN 0141-0768. PMC 1079678. PMID 15574863.