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Barbital

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Subjective Effects
Interactions
Legality
Barbital molecule structureBarbital molecule structure
Open in Piru
Chemical Class
Barbiturate

Barbital is a barbiturate1 with depressant1 properties. Barbiturates were required to carry warnings of possible habit formation1. It was first synthesized in 1902 by German chemists Emil Fischer and Joseph von Mering and became the first commercially available barbiturate. Used as a sleeping aid from 1903 until the mid-1950s, it is an odorless, slightly bitter, white crystalline powder.

Dosage & Duration

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Dosage

Doses are population estimates that vary widely between individuals.

Moderate650-970 mg

Duration

Onset15-30 minutes
Total6-12 hours

Subjective Effects

Subjective Effects not written up yet

Reagent Testing

Expected colorimetric results for common reagent tests. Colors show reaction change over 1–2 minutes.

Marquis(MQ)
No reaction
No reaction
Mecke(ME)
No reaction
No reaction
Mandelin(MD)
No reaction
No reaction
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Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Barbital is a slow-acting hypnotic2.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption & half-lifenot documented yetMetabolitesnone documented yet

Interactions

Interactions not written up yet

An unlisted combination is an unknown one, not a safe one. Check a dedicated combination chart before mixing.

Check TripSit

Tolerance

Tolerance timelines are rules of thumb, not exact schedules, and vary widely between individuals and use patterns.

Full Tolerance
Prolonged use can produce tolerance, requiring higher doses to achieve the desired effect.3

Harm Potential

Addiction & Dependence

Psychological

High

Barbital is classified as habit-forming with significant potential for psychological dependence. Prolonged usage leads to tolerance, requiring higher doses to achieve desired effects, which can drive compulsive use patterns.

Physical

High

As a barbiturate, barbital produces physical dependence with chronic use. Tolerance development is well-documented, indicating physiological adaptation that would result in withdrawal symptoms upon cessation.

Toxicity

Lethal Dosage

The lethal dose is approximately 3.5 to 4.4 grams orally. Fatal overdoses were historically common due to the drug's slow onset of action, which led users to take additional doses before feeling effects. Numerous documented deaths occurred both accidentally and intentionally.

History & Culture

Introduction and early medical use

German chemists Emil Fischer and Joseph von Mering first synthesized barbital, then called Veronal, in 1902 and published their discovery in 1903. Bayer marketed it as Veronal in 1904, while Schering marketed its soluble sodium salt as Medinal. It became the first commercially available barbiturate

Legality

Legality not written up yet

References

Citations

  1. Drug Therapeutics & Regulation in the U.S.. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2023). https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-history-exhibits/drug-therapeutics-regulation-us123
  2. Veronal. N. N. R.. A Handbook of Useful Drugs (n.d.). https://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medica-drugs/American-Medical-Association/A-Handbook-of-Useful-Drugs/Veronal-N-N-R.html1
  3. Physical dependence to barbital compared to pentobarbital. II. Tolerance characteristics. PubMed (Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics) (1978). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5649511
  4. History of child and adolescent psychiatry. IACAPAP (2015). https://iacapap.org/_Resources/Persistent/49c28ec074bbecfc0ea48df2deea1c6fc1de0a60/J.10-History-Child-Psychiatry-update-2018.pdf1
  5. Arthur Whitten Brown. Science Museum Group (n.d.). https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/ap14452/brown-arthur-whitten1
  6. Veronal, in Lord Edgware Dies: A Double-edged Sword of Sedation and Addiction. PubMed (2023). https://doi.org/10.11477/mf.14162025261

Article Status

  • Josie Kins avatar
    Step 1 · Automated synthesis

    An autonomous workflow built by Josie Kins compiled this article's foundation from information published across the web.

  • Step 2 · First-pass reviewPending

    Not yet reviewed: this article is pending editorial review by Lyrea.

  • Step 3 · Citation reviewPending

    No one has reviewed this article's citations yet. That second pass checks each claim against the source it cites.

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