Banner
targets (10) enzymes (2)
for drugs
Identification
Name Pentobarbital
Accession Number DB00312 (APRD01174)
Type small molecule
Groups approved
Description

A short-acting barbiturate that is effective as a sedative and hypnotic (but not as an anti-anxiety) agent and is usually given orally. It is prescribed more frequently for sleep induction than for sedation but, like similar agents, may lose its effectiveness by the second week of continued administration. (From AMA Drug Evaluations Annual, 1994, p236)
Structure Thumb
Download: MOL | SDF | SMILES | InChI
Display: 2D Structure | 3D Structure
Synonyms
  • Pentabarbital
  • Pentabarbitone
  • Pentobarbital Sodium
  • Pentobarbitone
  • Pentobarbiturate
  • Pentobarbituric acid
  • Sodium Pentobarbital
Brand names
  • Dorsital
  • Ethaminal
  • Mebubarbital
  • Mebumal
  • Nebralin
  • Nembutal
  • Nembutal Sodium
  • Neodorm
  • Rivadorm
Brand name mixtures
  • Cafergot PB Sup (Belladonna + Caffeine + Ergotamine Tartrate + Pentobarbital)
  • Cafergot PB Tab (Belladonna + Caffeine + Ergotamine Tartrate + Pentobarbital Sodium)
Categories
  • Hypnotics and Sedatives
  • Adjuvants, Anesthesia
  • GABA Modulators
  • Barbiturates
CAS number 76-74-4
Weight Average: 226.2722
Monoisotopic: 226.131742452
Chemical Formula C11H18N2O3
InChI Key InChIKey=WEXRUCMBJFQVBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N
InChI
InChI=1S/C11H18N2O3/c1-4-6-7(3)11(5-2)8(14)12-10(16)13-9(11)15/h7H,4-6H2,1-3H3,(H2,12,13,14,15,16)
Plain Text
IUPAC Name
5-ethyl-5-(pentan-2-yl)-1,3-diazinane-2,4,6-trione
SMILES
CCCC(C)C1(CC)C(=O)NC(=O)NC1=O
Plain Text
Mass Spec show (7.8 KB)
Taxonomy
Kingdom Organic
Classes
  • Barbiturates
Substructures
  • Barbiturates
  • Carbonyl Compounds
  • Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives
  • Amino Ketones
  • Ureas and Derivatives
  • Pyrimidines and Derivatives
  • Heterocyclic compounds
  • Carboxamides and Derivatives
Pharmacology
Indication For the short-term treatment of insomnia.
Pharmacodynamics Pentobarbital, a barbiturate, is used for the treatment of short term insomnia. It belongs to a group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) depressants that induce drowsiness and relieve tension or nervousness. Little analgesia is conferred by barbiturates; their use in the presence of pain may result in excitation.
Mechanism of action Pentobarbital binds at a distinct binding site associated with a Cl- ionopore at the GABAA receptor, increasing the duration of time for which the Cl- ionopore is open. The post-synaptic inhibitory effect of GABA in the thalamus is, therefore, prolonged. All of these effects are associated with marked decreases in GABA-sensitive neuronal calcium conductance (gCa). The net result of barbiturate action is acute potentiation of inhibitory GABAergic tone. Barbiturates also act through potent (if less well characterized) and direct inhibition of excitatory AMPA-type glutamate receptors, resulting in a profound suppression of glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Absorption Barbiturates are absorbed in varying degrees following oral, rectal, or parenteral administration.
Volume of distribution Not Available
Protein binding Not Available
Metabolism

by hepatic microsomal enzyme system
Route of elimination Barbiturates are metabolized primarily by the hepatic microsomal enzyme system, and the metabolic products are excreted in the urine, and less commonly, in the feces. Approximately 25 to 50 percent of a dose of aprobarbital or phenobarbital is eliminated unchanged in the urine, whereas the amount of other barbiturates excreted unchanged in the urine is negligible.
Half life 5 to 50 hours (dose dependent)
Clearance Not Available
Toxicity Symptoms of an overdose typically include sluggishness, incoordination, difficulty in thinking, slowness of speech, faulty judgment, drowsiness or coma, shallow breathing, staggering, and in severe cases coma and death.
Affected organisms
  • Humans and other mammals
Pathways Not Available
Pharmacoeconomics
Manufacturers
  • Ovation pharmaceuticals inc
  • Lannett co inc
  • Vitarine pharmaceuticals inc
  • Whiteworth towne paulsen inc
  • Anabolic inc
  • Elkins sinn div ah robins co inc
  • Everylife
  • Halsey drug co inc
  • Ivax pharmaceuticals inc sub teva pharmaceuticals usa
  • Parke davis div warner lambert co
  • L perrigo co
  • Purepac pharmaceutical co
  • Valeant pharmaceuticals international
  • Watson laboratories inc
  • Wyeth ayerst laboratories
  • Lundbeck inc
  • Nexgen pharma inc
Packagers
Dosage forms
Form Route Strength
Solution Intravenous
Prices
Unit description Cost Unit
Pentobarbital sodium powder 27.0 USD g
Nembutal sodium 50 mg/ml via 20.65 USD ml
Patents Not Available
Properties
State solid
Melting point 129.5 oC
Experimental Properties
Property Value Source
water solubility 679 mg/L PhysProp
logP 2.1 PhysProp
logS -2.52 [ADME Research, USCD] PhysProp
pKa 8.11 Various sources
Predicted Properties
Property Value Source
water solubility 8.64e-01 g/l ALOGPS
logP 2.16 ALOGPS
logP 1.89 ChemAxon Molconvert
logS -2.42 ALOGPS
pKa 12.15 ChemAxon Molconvert
hydrogen acceptor count 3 ChemAxon Molconvert
hydrogen donor count 2 ChemAxon Molconvert
polar surface area 75.27 ChemAxon Molconvert
rotatable bond count 4 ChemAxon Molconvert
refractivity 58.00 ChemAxon Molconvert
polarizability 23.40 ChemAxon Molconvert
References
Synthesis Reference Not Available
General Reference
  1. Knodell RG, Spector MH, Brooks DA, Keller FX, Kyner WT: Alterations in pentobarbital pharmacokinetics in response to parenteral and enteral alimentation in the rat. Gastroenterology. 1980 Dec;79(6):1211-6. Pubmed
External Links
Resource Link
KEGG Drug D00499 Link_out
KEGG Compound C07422 Link_out
PubChem Compound 4737 Link_out
PubChem Substance 46508399 Link_out
ChemSpider 4575 Link_out
ChEBI 7983 Link_out
ChEMBL 7983 Link_out
Therapeutic Targets Database DAP000671 Link_out
PharmGKB PA450859 Link_out
Drug Product Database 141690 Link_out
RxList http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic2/pentob.htm Link_out
Drugs.com http://www.drugs.com/mtm/pentobarbital.html Link_out
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentobarbital Link_out
ATC Codes
  • N05CA01
AHFS Codes
  • 28:24.04
PDB Entries Not Available
FDA label Not Available
MSDS show (50.3 KB)
Interactions
Drug Interactions Not Available
Food Interactions Not Available
Targets

1. Gamma-aminobutyric-acid receptor subunit alpha-1

Pharmacological action: yes
Actions: potentiator

GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, mediates neuronal inhibition by binding to the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor and opening an integral chloride channel

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P14867 Link_out
Gene: GABRA1 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Steinbach JH, Akk G: Modulation of GABA receptor channel gating by pentobarbital. J Physiol. 2001 Dec 15;537(Pt 3):715-33. Pubmed
  2. Whiting PJ: The GABAA receptor gene family: new opportunities for drug development. Curr Opin Drug Discov Devel. 2003 Sep;6(5):648-57. Pubmed
  3. Mehta AK, Ticku MK: An update on GABAA receptors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1999 Apr;29(2-3):196-217. Pubmed
  4. Krasowski MD, Harrison NL: General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels. Cell Mol Life Sci. 1999 Aug 15;55(10):1278-303. Pubmed
  5. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  6. Davies DL, McCauley LD, Bolger MB, Alkana RL: Pressure-sensitive and -insensitive coupling in gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2001 Oct;157(4):401-10. Pubmed
  7. Rahman M, Zhu D, Lindblad C, Johansson IM, Holmberg E, Isaksson M, Taube M, Backstrom T, Wang MD: GABA-site antagonism and pentobarbital actions do not depend on the alpha-subunit type in the recombinant rat GABA receptor. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2006 Aug;187(4):479-88. Pubmed
  8. Feigenspan A, Weiler R: Electrophysiological properties of mouse horizontal cell GABAA receptors. J Neurophysiol. 2004 Nov;92(5):2789-801. Epub 2004 Jul 7. Pubmed
  9. Chen X, Ji ZL, Chen YZ: TTD: Therapeutic Target Database. Nucleic Acids Res. 2002 Jan 1;30(1):412-5. Pubmed
  10. Overington JP, Al-Lazikani B, Hopkins AL: How many drug targets are there? Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2006 Dec;5(12):993-6. Pubmed
  11. Imming P, Sinning C, Meyer A: Drugs, their targets and the nature and number of drug targets. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2006 Oct;5(10):821-34. Pubmed

2. Gamma-aminobutyric-acid receptor subunit alpha-2

Pharmacological action: yes
Actions: potentiator

GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, mediates neuronal inhibition by binding to the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor and opening an integral chloride channel

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P47869 Link_out
Gene: GABRA2 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Mehta AK, Ticku MK: An update on GABAA receptors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1999 Apr;29(2-3):196-217. Pubmed

3. Gamma-aminobutyric-acid receptor subunit alpha-3

Pharmacological action: yes
Actions: potentiator

GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, mediates neuronal inhibition by binding to the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor and opening an integral chloride channel

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P34903 Link_out
Gene: GABRA3 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Mehta AK, Ticku MK: An update on GABAA receptors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1999 Apr;29(2-3):196-217. Pubmed

4. Gamma-aminobutyric-acid receptor subunit alpha-4

Pharmacological action: yes
Actions: potentiator

GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, mediates neuronal inhibition by binding to the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor and opening an integral chloride channel

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P48169 Link_out
Gene: GABRA4 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Mehta AK, Ticku MK: An update on GABAA receptors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1999 Apr;29(2-3):196-217. Pubmed

5. Gamma-aminobutyric-acid receptor subunit alpha-5

Pharmacological action: yes
Actions: potentiator

GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, mediates neuronal inhibition by binding to the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor and opening an integral chloride channel

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P31644 Link_out
Gene: GABRA5 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Mehta AK, Ticku MK: An update on GABAA receptors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1999 Apr;29(2-3):196-217. Pubmed

6. Gamma-aminobutyric-acid receptor subunit alpha-6

Pharmacological action: yes
Actions: potentiator

GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the vertebrate brain, mediates neuronal inhibition by binding to the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor and opening an integral chloride channel

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: Q16445 Link_out
Gene: GABRA6 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Mehta AK, Ticku MK: An update on GABAA receptors. Brain Res Brain Res Rev. 1999 Apr;29(2-3):196-217. Pubmed
  2. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed

7. Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-4

Pharmacological action: unknown
Actions: antagonist

After binding acetylcholine, the AChR responds by an extensive change in conformation that affects all subunits and leads to opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P43681 Link_out
Gene: CHRNA4 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Arias HR, Bhumireddy P: Anesthetics as chemical tools to study the structure and function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Curr Protein Pept Sci. 2005 Oct;6(5):451-72. Pubmed
  3. Krasowski MD, Harrison NL: General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels. Cell Mol Life Sci. 1999 Aug 15;55(10):1278-303. Pubmed

8. Neuronal acetylcholine receptor subunit alpha-7

Pharmacological action: unknown
Actions: antagonist

After binding acetylcholine, the AChR responds by an extensive change in conformation that affects all subunits and leads to opening of an ion-conducting channel across the plasma membrane

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P36544 Link_out
Gene: CHRNA7 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Arias HR, Bhumireddy P: Anesthetics as chemical tools to study the structure and function of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Curr Protein Pept Sci. 2005 Oct;6(5):451-72. Pubmed
  3. Krasowski MD, Harrison NL: General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels. Cell Mol Life Sci. 1999 Aug 15;55(10):1278-303. Pubmed

9. Glutamate receptor 2

Pharmacological action: unknown
Actions: antagonist

Receptor for glutamate. L-glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter at many synapses in the central nervous system. The postsynaptic actions of Glu are mediated by a variety of receptors that are named according to their selective agonists. This receptor binds AMPA(quisqualate) > glutamate > kainate

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: P42262 Link_out
Gene: GRIA2 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Krasowski MD, Harrison NL: General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels. Cell Mol Life Sci. 1999 Aug 15;55(10):1278-303. Pubmed

10. Glutamate receptor, ionotropic kainate 2

Pharmacological action: unknown
Actions: antagonist

L-glutamate acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter at many synapses in the central nervous system. The postsynaptic actions of Glu are mediated by a variety of receptors that are named according to their selective agonists. May be involved in the transmission of light information from the retina to the hypothalamus. This receptor binds domoate > kainate > quisqualate > 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione > L-glutamate = 6,7- dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione > dihydrokainate

Organism class: human
UniProt ID: Q13002 Link_out
Gene: GRIK2 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Yamakura T, Bertaccini E, Trudell JR, Harris RA: Anesthetics and ion channels: molecular models and sites of action. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol. 2001;41:23-51. Pubmed
  2. Krasowski MD, Harrison NL: General anaesthetic actions on ligand-gated ion channels. Cell Mol Life Sci. 1999 Aug 15;55(10):1278-303. Pubmed
Enzymes

1. Cytochrome P450 3A4

Actions: inducer

Cytochromes P450 are a group of heme-thiolate monooxygenases. In liver microsomes, this enzyme is involved in an NADPH-dependent electron transport pathway. It performs a variety of oxidation reactions (e.g. caffeine 8-oxidation, omeprazole sulphoxidation, midazolam 1'-hydroxylation and midazolam 4- hydroxylation) of structurally unrelated compounds, including steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics. The enzyme also hydroxylates etoposide

UniProt ID: P08684 Link_out
Gene: CYP3A4
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

2. Cytochrome P450 2C19

Actions: substrate

Responsible for the metabolism of a number of therapeutic agents such as the anticonvulsant drug S-mephenytoin, omeprazole, proguanil, certain barbiturates, diazepam, propranolol, citalopram and imipramine

UniProt ID: P33261 Link_out
Gene: CYP2C19 Link_out
Protein Sequence: FASTA
Gene Sequence: FASTA
SNPs: SNPJam Report Link_out

References:
  1. Preissner S, Kroll K, Dunkel M, Senger C, Goldsobel G, Kuzman D, Guenther S, Winnenburg R, Schroeder M, Preissner R: SuperCYP: a comprehensive database on Cytochrome P450 enzymes including a tool for analysis of CYP-drug interactions. Nucleic Acids Res. 2010 Jan;38(Database issue):D237-43. Epub 2009 Nov 24. Pubmed
Comments
Drug created on June 13, 2005 07:24 / Updated on November 10, 2010 13:38

This project is supported by Genome Alberta & Genome Canada, a not-for-profit organization that is leading Canada's national genomics strategy with $600 million in funding from the federal government. This project is also supported in part by GenomeQuest, Inc., an enterprise genomic information company serving the life science community.