A white odorless barbiturate, C12H18N2O3, used in the form of its sodium salt as a sedative and hypnotic.
[SECO(NDARY) + BARBITAL.]
secobarbital
Dictionary:
sec·o·bar·bi·tal (sĕk'ō-bär'bĭ-tôl', -tăl')  |
n.
A white odorless barbiturate, C12H18N2O3, used in the form of its sodium salt as a sedative and hypnotic.
A white odorless barbiturate, C12H18N2O3, used in the form of its sodium salt as a sedative and hypnotic.
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| Drug Info: Secobarbital |
Brand names: Seconal®
Chemical formula:
- Español:
- Secobarbital sódico, Cápsula oral
Secobarbital Sodium Oral capsule
What is this medicine?
SECOBARBITAL is a barbiturate. It is used to help you sleep if you have insomnia or before you have surgery.
This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
• acute or chronic pain
• attempted suicide
• drug abuse or addiction
• if you frequently drink alcohol containing drinks
• liver disease
• lung or breathing disease
• mental depression
• porphyria
• an unusual or allergic reaction to secobarbital, other barbiturates, medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding
How should I use this medicine?
Take this medicine by mouth with a glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your doctor's advice.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
Patients over 65 years old may have a stronger reaction and need a smaller dose.
Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.
NOTE: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.
What if I miss a dose?
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.What may interact with this medicine?
Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
• other barbituates
• voriconazole
This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
• alcohol or medicines that contain alcohol
• antihistamines
• doxycycline
• female hormones, like estrogens or progestins and birth control pills
• griseofulvin
• MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
• medicines for depression, anxiety, or psychotic disturbances
• medicines for sleep
• muscle relaxants
• narcotic medicines for pain
• phenothiazines like chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, prochlorperazine, thioridazine
• steroid medicines like prednisone or cortisone
• warfarin
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medicine?
Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular check ups.
Do not take this medicine unless you are able to get a full night's sleep before you must be active again. You may not be able to remember things that you do in the hours after you take this medicine. Some people have reported driving, making phone calls, or preparing and eating food while asleep after taking sleep medicine. Take this medicine right before going to sleep. Tell your doctor if you are have any problems with your memory.
If you have been taking this medicine for a long time, do not suddenly stop taking it because you may develop a severe reaction. Your body becomes used to the medicine. This does NOT mean you are addicted. Addiction is a behavior related to getting and using a drug for a nonmedical reason. If your doctor wants you to stop the medicine, the dose will be slowly lowered over time to avoid any side effects.
You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
Birth control pills may not work properly while you are taking this medicine. Talk to your doctor about using an extra method of birth control.
What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
• allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
• breathing problems
• feeling faint, lightheaded
• fever, chills, sore throat
• hallucination
• irregular heartbeat
• redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth
• unusual activities while asleep like driving, eating, making phone calls
• unusual bleeding, bruising
• unusually weak or tired
• yellowing of the eyes or skin
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
• clumsy, unsteady
• constipation
• drowsy, tired
• headache
• irritable, nervous
• nausea, vomiting
• nightmares, trouble sleeping
This list may not describe all possible side effects. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Where should I keep my medicine?
Keep out of the reach of children. This medicine can be abused. Keep your medicine in a safe place to protect it from theft. Do not share this medicine with anyone. Selling or giving away this medicine is dangerous and against the law.
Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.
Last updated: 7/1/2002
Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.
| Veterinary Dictionary: secobarbital |
A short- to intermediate-acting oxybarbiturate, used for sedation and anesthesia. Called also quinalbarbitone.
| Wikipedia: Secobarbital |
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|
| Systematic (IUPAC) name | |
|---|---|
| 5-(1-methylbutyl)-5-prop-2-enyl- hexahydropyrimidine-2,4,6-trione |
|
| Identifiers | |
| CAS number | 76-73-3 |
| ATC code | N05CA06 QN51 |
| PubChem | 5193 |
| DrugBank | APRD00497 |
| ChemSpider | 5005 |
| Chemical data | |
| Formula | C12H18N2O3 |
| Mol. mass | 238.283 |
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | ? |
| Protein binding | 45-60%[1] |
| Metabolism | Hepatic |
| Half life | 15-40 hours[1] |
| Excretion | Renal |
| Therapeutic considerations | |
| Pregnancy cat. |
D (USA) |
| Legal status | |
| Routes | Oral |
 (what is this?) (verify) |
|
Secobarbital (marketed by Eli Lilly and Company under the brand name Seconal) is a barbiturate derivative drug that was first synthesized in 1928. It possesses anaesthetic, anticonvulsant, sedative and hypnotic properties. In the United Kingdom, it was known as Quinalbarbitone.
Contents |
Indications
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008) |
Secobarbital is indicated for:
- Treatment of epilepsy
- Temporary treatment of insomnia in patients resistant to mainstream hypnotics
- Use as a preoperative medication to produce anaesthesia and anxiolysis in short surgical, diagnostic, or therapeutic procedures which are minimally painful.
Availability
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|
This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008) |
Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals obtained marketing rights to Seconal from Eli Lilly in 1998 and marketed Seconal until September 18, 2008. The rights to Seconal were sold to Marathon Pharmaceuticals (http://marathonpharma.com). Seconal returned to the market last January 2009. It is available as 100 mg capsules. The new NDC number for ordering is: 42998-679-01 Seconal is primarily distributed by Cardinal who supplies companies such as Walgreens, King Soopers, Kroger and others.
It is available as either a free acid or a sodium salt. The free acid is a white amorphous powder that is slightly soluble in water and very soluble in ethanol. The salt is a white hygroscopic powder that is soluble in water and ethanol.
Secobarbital sodium
The sodium salt of secobarbital is classified separately from the free acid, as follows:
- CAS number: 309-43-3
- Chemical formula: C12H18N2NaO3
- Molecular weight: 260.265
Side effects
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008) |
Possible side effects of secobarbital include:
- Somnolence
- Impaired motor functions
- Impaired coordination
- Impaired balance
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Agitation, irritability, or excitability
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Nightmares
- Increased sensitivity to pain
- Allergic reactions
Withdrawal
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008) |
Secobarbital is a fairly addictive drug, and withdrawal symptoms can occur if long-term usage is abruptly ended. Withdrawal symptoms can include:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Lack of appetite
- Seizures
- Tremors
Recreational use
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008) |
Secobarbital began to be widely abused in the 1960s and 1970s, although with the advent of benzodiazepines, they have become less commonly used. Secobarbital has acquired many nicknames, the most common being reds, "red devils", or "red dillies" (it was originally packaged in red capsules). Another common nickname is "seccies". Another common nickname is "red hearts" according to the Wegman's School of Pharmacy curriculum. A less common nickname is "dolls"; this was partly responsible for the title of Jacqueline Susann's novel Valley of the Dolls, whose main characters use secobarbital and other such drugs. Another popular brand of barbiturate pill Tuinal contained a combination of secobarbital and amobarbital but is now rarely prescribed due to problems with abuse and overdose.
Cause of death of Judy Garland
Judy Garland was found dead in her bathroom by her husband Mickey Deans on June 22, 1969. The stated exact cause of death by coroner Gavin Thursdon was accidental overdose of barbiturates; her blood contained the equivalent of 10 Seconal 100 mg capsules.[2]
Cause of death of Alan Wilson
Alan Wilson, vocalist and founding member of Canned Heat, was found dead at age 27 in 1970, from a self-induced overdose of seconal. [3]
Cause of Death of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix (musician), musician and vocalist died while at girlfriend's Monika Dannemann hotel room in London. It is uncertain how he died, but the coroner said that he had taken at least nine of his girlfriend's pills. He died September 18, 1970.
Cause of Death of Beverley Kenney
Beverly Kenney (January 29, 1932, Harrison, New Jersey - April 13, 1960, New York City) was an American jazz singer. Kenney committed suicide through a combination of alcohol and Seconal. She was 28.
Cause of Death of Carole Landis
Carole Landis was a popular actress of the 1940s who committed suicide on an overdose of Seconal in her Brentwood Heights, California home on July 5, 1948. She was 29 years old.
Use as a lethal injection
Secobarbital overdose was the most common method of implementing physician assisted suicide in Oregon until Eli Lilly and Company discontinued manufacturing it in May 2001, leading to a shortage of the drug. Since then, pentobarbital has dominated in Oregon PAD. Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited previously experienced approval issues in their attempts to produce 100 mg secobarbital capsules. Currently, Marathon Pharmaceuticals is the sole producer of the drug in the United States.
It is a component in the veterinary drug Somulose, used for euthanasia of horses and cattle.
References
- ^ a b Lexi-Comp. "Secobarbital". http://www.merck.com/mmpe/lexicomp/secobarbital.html.
- ^ Thomson, David,Film Studies: She couldn't act for toffee - until she burst into song; The Independent; 2004-06-27; Retrieved on 2007-01-26
- ^ De la Parra, Adolfo "Fito" (2000). Living the Blues: Canned Heat's Story of Music, Drugs, Death, Sex and Survival. Canned Heat Music. ISBN 0967644909.
External links
- Marathon Pharmaceuticals - Seconal Full prescribing information for the United States.
- Drugs.com - Secobarbital
- RxList.com - Secobarbital Consumer information.
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 | Seconal (trademark for the drug secobarbital) |
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| Anti-Itch Drugs: Interactions |
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 | Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Drug Info. Gold Standard. Copyright © 2008 by Gold Standard. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved. Read more |
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| Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Secobarbital". Read more |
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- Barbiturates
- Anti-Itch Drugs: Interactions
- Antinausea Drugs: Interactions
- Anti-Insomnia Drugs
- Sedative (pharmacology, pharmacy, antibiotics)
- Secobarbital Sodium Oral capsule
- Withdrawal Syndromes: Causes and symptoms
- Secobarbital sódico, Cápsula oral
- Midazolam Hydrochloride Solution for injection
- Midazolam Hydrochloride Oral syrup
- Methscopolamine tablets
- Sorafenib tosylate Oral tablet
- Barbiturates (surgical term)
