Allobarbital is the name given to an active medical ingredient. It has a calming, soporific and pain-relieving effect. Throughout Europe, however, the drug is subject to numerous legal restrictions and thus also acquires the status of a drug.
What is allobarbital?
Allobarbital is thought to reduce brain activity as well as consciousness. As a result, patients perceive increased fatigue and tend to sleep. Allobarbital occurs in the form of a white powder. In this respect, it is often administered as a tablet or capsule. However, due to its solubility in water, in some cases it is also diluted with plasma and introduced into the patient’s body as an infusion. A member of the barbiturate family, it has been used medicinally for about 100 years – but is now considered controversial. It has an addictive effect when used repeatedly and can also cause death in the case of a single overdose. In general, allobarbital has a sedative effect. It is said to reduce brain activity as well as consciousness. As a result, patients perceive increased fatigue and tend to sleep. Likewise, the drug lowers the sensation of pain. As a sedative before and as an additional anesthetic during surgery, it therefore attained a high status over decades.
Pharmacological action
As a barbiturate, allobarbital accesses the nervous system of the subject. It comes into contact with nerve cells through the bloodstream. There, it primarily occupies the GABA receptor. This binds gamma-aminobutyric acid, which acts here as a neurotransmitter. The latter thus transports pain and other sensations to the brain. However, the allobarbital blocks the receptor. In this way, gamma-aminobutyric acid cannot reach the patient’s center of thought and consciousness. More than that, the allobarbital is even capable of mimicking the receptor. Thus, further gamma-aminobutyric acids can be bound and prevented from being transported. Consequently, sedation and insensitivity to pain can be achieved. For this reason, allobarbital was used in particular as a component of anesthesia, but was also prescribed at times as an analgesic. The drug’s duration of action lasts for about four to six hours after administration. Already before and shortly after this period, however, the effects are already, respectively, still perceptible in a weaker form.
Medical application and use
However, the allobarbital in recent years increasingly moved into the focus of criticism. Its addictive properties led to the fact that a prescription as a sleeping pill is no longer made in most European countries. In Eastern European countries in particular, it is still used as a sedative and is thus intended to relieve the patient’s anxiety prior to various medical interventions. Likewise, a supporting effect of analgesics is possible. These analgesics impair the perception of the patient. A combined administration of an analgesic in conjunction with the allobarbital was therefore more frequently observed. Nevertheless, the latter drug is in retreat. It exhibits too strong side effects. Moreover, its effect can be achieved at lower risk with other agents. Recourse to this barbiturate is thus circumvented. Only in a few cases is it still sometimes added to the usual psychotropic drugs. Here, the aim is to calm the brain and consciousness – but that too only in very small doses and without exception in combination with other remedies.
Risks and side effects
Overall, allobarbital has too much potential danger. It can trigger or promote addiction to intoxicants. In strong doses, it has adverse health effects and even lethal effects. Although the lethal amount would be difficult for a human to reach. The barbiturate may therefore be used without exception after prescription and order of a medical specialist. After ingestion, mild sedative after-effects can always be noticed. They may take the form of increased fatigue or decreased consciousness. Motor skills are also inhibited. Driving should therefore be avoided at such times. Rarely, on the other hand, impairment of the gastrointestinal tract is recorded. However, dizziness, diarrhea and vomiting would be the typical symptoms.However, allobarbital can only be found in a few drugs today anyway and is likely to be removed from the market entirely within the next few years.
