Pentobarbital and diazepam

Study RE, Barker JL Diazepam and pentobarbital fluctuation analysis reveals different mechanisms for potentiation of gabaaminobutyric acid responses in cultured central neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 78 7180-7184, 1981... 

FIGURE 63.4. Experimental design revealing anticonvulsant effects of diazepam and pentobarbital in epilepsy research (A). Anticonvulsant effects achieved by triple regimen when administered 30-40 min after onset of seizures (B). 

Sullivan JT, Jasinski DR, Johnson RE. 1993. Single-dose pharmacodynamics of diazepam and pentobarbital in substance abusers. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 54 645-653. 

Griffiths RR, Bigelow GE, Liebson I, et al Drug preference in humans double-blind choice comparison of pentobarbital, diazepam and placebo. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 215 649-661, 1980... 

Among ai-, a2- and as-point-mutated mice, only the ai(HlOlR) mutants were resistant to the depression of motor activity by diazepam and zolpidem (Rudolph et al. 1999 Low et al. 2000 Crestani et al. 2000). This effect was specific for ligands of the benzodiazepine site, since pentobarbital or a neurosteroid remained as effective in ai(HlOlR) mice as in wild-type mice in inducing sedation. An ai(HlOlR) mouse line was also generated by McKernan et al. (2000), confirming that sedation is finked to ai GABAa receptors and differs mechanistically from the anxiolytic action of benzodiazepines. 

Ator NA, Griffiths RR (1989) Differential generalization to pentobarbital in rats trained to discriminate lorazepam, chlor-diazepoxide, diazepam and triazolam. Psychopharmacology 98 20-30... 

E Respiratory depression is seen with benzodiazepines (lorazepam, diazepam) and with barbiturates (phenobarbital, pentobarbital). Both classes are associated with sedation, somnolence, and respiratory depression. However, both phenytoin and fos-phenytoin do not affect respiratory rate. 

Griffiths, R. R., Bigelow, G. E., Liekson, L, Kaliszak, J. E. (1980). Drug preference in humans Double-blind choice comparison of pentobarbital, diazepam, and placebo. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental IJjerapeutics, 215, 649-661. 

A later study by these same authors (Hendriks et al., 1985) tested the effect of intraperitoneal valerenic acid compared to diazepam, chlorpromazine, and pentobarbital on ability to walk on a rotating rod and grip strength in mice. The effects of valerinic acid on spontaneous motor activity and on pentobarbital -induced sleeping time were also assessed. Diazepam, a muscle relaxant, affected the grip test but not the rotarod test, while chlorpromazine, a neuroleptic, affected the rotarod test but not the grip test. 

D Mello GD, Duffy EAM and Miles SS (1985). A conveyor belt task for assessing visuo-motor coordination in the marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Effects of diazepam, chlorpromazine, pentobarbital and damphetamine. Psychopharmacology, 86, 125-131. 

Myhrer et al. (2005) demonstrated that a triple regimen consisting of procyclidine (6 mg/kg), diazepam (10 mg/kg), and pentobarbital (30 mg/kg) effectively terminated soman-induced seizures/convulsions in rats when administered 30-40 minutes following the onset of poisoning. In their study, the test animals were administered LD50 doses of soman. 

Winters WD, Kott KS Continuum of sedation, activation and hypnosis or hallucinosis a comparison of low dose effects of pentobarbital, diazepam or gamma-hydroxy-butyrate in the cat. Neuropharmacology 18 877—884, 1979... 

Severe withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia, irritability, agitation, withdrawal seizures, and delirium, have been described in both mice and humans chronically exposed to the anesthetics nitrous oxide, ether, and isoflurane (Arnold et al. 1993 Delteil et al. 1974 Deniker et al. 1972 Harper et al. 1980 Smith et al. 1979 Tobias 2000). These symptoms were controlled with the administration of y-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic agents such as pentobarbital, midazolam, and diazepam (Arnold et al. 1993 Hughes et al. 1993). 

The CNS depressants include barbiturates, nonbarbiturate sedatives, and the benzodiazepines. As the medical use of barbiturates decreased, primarily because of their high addiction liability and the danger of acute lethality, the use of the benzodiazepine anxiolytics increased. The most commonly abused barbiturates are secobarbital, pentobarbital, and amobarbital. Pheno-barbital is not generally abused, because of its slow onset of action. The most commonly abused anxiolytics include diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, midazolam, lo-razepam, and flurazepam. These drugs are readily attainable from illicit sources. 

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