Pentobarbital

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 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.

Pentobarbital was widely abused beginning in the late 1930s and sometimes known as "yellow jackets" due to the yellow color of Nembutal-branded capsules.

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

Typical applications for pentobarbital are sedative, short term hypnotic, preanesthetic, insomnia treatment, and control of convulsions in emergencies. Abbott Pharmaceutical discontinued manufacture of their Nembutal brand of Pentobarbital capsules in 1999, largely replaced by the benzodiazepine family of drugs.

Pentobarbital can reduce intracranial pressure in Reye syndrome, treat traumatic brain injury and induce coma in cerebral ischemia patients. Pentobarbital-induced coma has been advocated in patients with acute liver failure refractory to mannitol.

Pentobarbital is also used as a veterinary anesthetic agent and euthanasia drug.

Pentobarbital can cause death when used in high doses. It is used for euthanasia for humans as well as animals. It is taken alone, or in combination with complementary agents such as phenytoin, in commercial animal euthanasia injectable solutions.