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Barbiturates

Also indexed as: Aluratec®, Amobarbital, Amylbarbitone, Amytal®, Aprobarbital, Brevital®, Busodium®, Butabarbital, Butisol®, Mebaral®, Mephobarbital, Metharbital, Methohexital, Nembutal®, Pentobarbital, Pentothal, Pentothal®, Phenobarbitone®, Quinalbarbitone, Secobarbital, Seconal®, Sodium Pentothal, Talbutal, Thiamylal, Thiopental, Thiopental

Barbiturates are a family of drugs that depress nerve activity in the brain, which produces changes in mental activity ranging from mild sedation and sleep, to deep coma. They are used to treat anxiety, insomnia, seizure disorders, and migraine headaches. In addition, some barbiturates are used in surgery as general anesthetics.

Interactions involving barbiturates in general are described on this page. For interactions involving a specific barbiturate, refer to the highlighted drugs listed below.

Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds

Alcohol
Drinking alcoholic beverages while taking barbiturates increases side effects, such as drowsiness, confusion, and dizziness;1 if taken in excess, this combination may result in death. Consequently, people taking barbiturates should avoid drinking alcohol.

Summary of Interactions for Barbiturates

Depletion or interference None known
Adverse interaction Alcohol
Side effect reduction/prevention None known
Supportive interaction None known
Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability None known
Interactions common to many, if not all, Barbiturates are described in this article. Interactions reported for only one or several drugs in this class may not be listed in this article. Some drugs listed in this article are linked to articles specific to that respective drug; please refer to those individual drug articles. The information in this article may not necessarily apply to drugs in this class for which no separate article exists. If you are taking a Barbiturate for which no separate article exists, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

For the convenience of the reader, the information in the summary is categorized as follows: “Depletion or interference” indicates the drug may deplete or interfere with the absorption or function of the supplement or herb. “Adverse interaction” indicates that the supplement or herb used together with the drug may result in undesirable effects. “Side effect reduction/prevention” indicates the supplement or herb may reduce the likelihood and/or severity of a potential side effect caused by the drug. “Supportive interaction” indicates the supplement or herb may support or aid the function of the drug. “Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability” indicates that the supplement or herb may decrease the absorption and/or activity of the drug in the body. An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.

References:

1. Olin BR, ed. Central Nervous System Drugs, Sedatives and Hypnotics, Barbiturates. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, 1993, 1398–413.