Barbiturates

Also indexed as: Aluratec®, Amobarbital, Amylbarbitone, Amytal®, Aprobarbital, Brevital®, Busodium®, Butabarbital, Butisol®, Mebaral®, Mephobarbital, Metharbital, Methohexital, Nembutal®, Pentobarbital, Pentothal, Pentothal®, Phenobarbitone®, Quinalbarbitone, Secobarbital, Seconal®, Sodium Pentothal, Talbutal, Thiamylal, Thiopental, Thiopental

Barbiturates are a family of drugs that depress nerve activity in the brain, which produces changes in mental activity ranging from mild sedation and sleep, to deep coma. They are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, seizure disorders, and migraine headaches. In addition, some barbiturates are used in surgery as general anesthetics.

Interactions involving barbiturates in general are described on this page. For interactions involving a specific barbiturate, refer to the highlighted drugs listed below.

Amobarbital (Amytal®)
Aprobarbital (Alurate®)
Butabarbital (Butisol®)
Butalbital (Fiorinal®, Fioricet®)
Mephobarbital (Mebaral®)
Methohexital (Brevital®)
Pentobarbital (Nembutal®)
Phenobarbital (Luminal®)
Secobarbital (Seconal®)
Thiopental (Pentothal®)

Safetychecker Summary for Barbiturates
(for details about the summarized interactions, read the full article)

Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results.	Alcohol
Depletion or interference	None known
Side effect reduction/prevention	None known
Supportive interaction	None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability	None known
Interactions common to many, if not all, Barbiturates are described in this article. Interactions reported for only one or several drugs in this class may not be listed in this article. Some drugs listed in this article are linked to articles specific to that respective drug; please refer to those individual drug articles. The information in this article may not necessarily apply to drugs in this class for which no separate article exists. If you are taking a Barbiturate for which no separate article exists, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds

Alcohol
Drinking alcoholic beverages while taking barbiturates increases side effects, such as drowsiness, confusion, and dizziness;¹ if taken in excess, this combination may result in death. Consequently, people taking barbiturates should avoid drinking alcohol.

References:

1. Olin BR, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Sedatives and Hypnotics, Barbiturates. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1993, 1398–413.

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The information presented in Healthnotes is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over-the-counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2003.