Sodium amytal

Amobarbital

Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	Micromedex Detailed Consumer Information
License data	US FDA: Amobarbital
Routes of administration	Oral, IM, IV, Rectal
ATC code	N05CA02 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	CA: Schedule IV DE: Anlage III (Prescription only) US: Schedule II / Schedule III
Pharmacokinetic data
Metabolism	Hepatic
Biological half-life	8–42 hours
Excretion	Renal
Identifiers
IUPAC name 5-ethyl-5-(3-methylbutyl)-1,3-diazinane-2,4,6-trione
CAS Number	57-43-2 Y
PubChem CID	2164
DrugBank	DB01351 Y
ChemSpider	2079 Y
UNII	GWH6IJ239E
KEGG	D00555 Y
ChEBI	CHEBI:2673 Y
ChEMBL	CHEMBL267894 Y
ECHA InfoCard	100.000.300
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C11H18N2O3
Molar mass	226.272
3D model (Jmol)	Interactive image
SMILES O=C1NC(=O)NC(=O)C1(CCC(C)C)CC
InChI InChI=1S/C11H18N2O3/c1-4-11(6-5-7(2)3)8(14)12-10(16)13-9(11)15/h7H,4-6H2,1-3H3,(H2,12,13,14,15,16) Y Key:VIROVYVQCGLCII-UHFFFAOYSA-N Y

Amobarbital (formerly known as amylobarbitone or sodium amytal) is a drug that is a barbiturate derivative. It has sedative-hypnotic properties. It is a white crystalline powder with no odor and a slightly bitter taste. It was first synthesized in Germany in 1923. If amobarbital is taken for extended periods of time, physical and psychological dependence can develop. Amobarbital withdrawal mimics delirium tremens and may be life-threatening.

In an in vitro study in rat thalamic slices amobarbital worked by activating GABA_A receptors, which decreased input resistance, depressed burst and tonic firing, especially in ventrobasal and intralaminar neurons, while at the same time increasing burst duration and mean conductance at individual chloride channels; this increased both the amplitude and decay time of postsynaptic currents.

Amobarbital has been used in a study to inhibit mitochondrial electron transport in the rat heart in an attempt to preserve mitochondrial function following reperfusion.

A 1988 study found that amobarbital increases benzodiazepine receptor binding in vivo with less potency than secobarbital and pentobarbital (in descending order), but greater than phenobarbital and barbital (in descending order). (Secobarbital > pentobarbital > amobarbital > phenobarbital > barbital)