WARNINGOVERDOSE, COMBINATIONS, & WITHDRAWAL CAN BE FATAL
High doses alone or ordinary doses in combination with other depressants can fatally stop breathing. After prolonged dependency, stopping suddenly can cause seizures, delirium, or death.
Citation noticeOur citation system is being overhauled
References and citation markers may currently be incomplete, mismatched, or incorrect. This system is being rebuilt and reviewed before the full site launch.
Chloral Hydrate
Chloral hydrate is a sedative/hypnotic drug whose proposed mechanisms include potentiation of GABAA receptors1. Discovered in 1832, it was first used as a sedative and hypnotic in Germany in the 1870s and has a history of recreational use. Its intoxication is reported to resemble that of alcohol or benzodiazepines. Tolerance and dependence have been reported with chloral hydrate1.
Dosage & Duration
Dosage
Doses are population estimates that vary widely between individuals.
Duration
Subjective Effects
Pharmacology
Pharmacodynamics
Chloral hydrate is metabolized to trichloroethanol, its major active metabolite.2 This metabolite is associated with the compound's hypnotic and general anesthetic action and better fits the observed relationship between anesthetic potency and lipid solubility.
Pharmacokinetics
Chloral hydrate is metabolized to trichloroethanol, an active metabolite.2 It was administered orally2 and, historically, intravenously as a general anesthetic3, but no route-specific bioavailability or half-life data are provided.
Interactions
An unlisted combination is an unknown one, not a safe one. Check a dedicated combination chart before mixing.
Tolerance
Tolerance timelines are rules of thumb, not exact schedules, and vary widely between individuals and use patterns.
Harm Potential
Addiction & Dependence
Psychological
HighChloral hydrate is habit-forming with documented cases of psychological addiction. Historical case reports describe individuals becoming dependent, including one case of escalating to fifteen times the usual dose nightly.
Physical
HighLong-term use is associated with rapid development of tolerance and physical dependence. Abrupt cessation after chronic high-dose use can cause violent withdrawal symptoms.
Toxicity
Chloral hydrate has caused numerous documented fatalities, often in combination with other CNS depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates, or opioids. Accidental overdoses have occurred in young children undergoing dental or surgical procedures. The substance has been used as a date rape drug due to its sedative properties.
LD50 Data
| Species | Route | Value |
|---|---|---|
| inhalation | inhalation (4-hour exposure) | 440 mg/m³ |
Long-term use is associated with severe liver failure.
Chronic use is associated with severe kidney failure.
Long-term use is associated with severe heart failure. The substance carries a conditional risk of causing torsades de pointes, a potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.
Chronic use is associated with gastric discomfort.
Long-term use may cause rashes.
Seizure Risk
Acute overdose often involves convulsions along with nausea, vomiting, confusion, slowed or uneven respiration, abnormal heart rhythm, and coma.
History & Culture
Discovery and medical adoption
Liebig synthesized chloral hydrate in 18324. Rudolf Buchheim observed its sedative properties in 1861, and Oscar Liebreich described them in detail in 1869, after which the compound became widely used. It was adopted as a sedative and hypnotic in Germany during the 1870s and…
Legality
Article Status
Step 1 · Automated synthesisAn 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.
Suggest an edit
Spotted a mistake, an outdated claim, or something missing from the Chloral Hydrate article? Send the editors a private note. Feedback lands in a moderation queue and is never shown on the site.
Wish to give generalised feedback? You can do so here.
