Abuse liability of barbiturates and other sedative-hypnotics

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss and evaluate the abuse potential of the sedative-hypnotics, drugs whose principal action is to induce drowsiness and promote sleep (see Table 1). The label, sedative, is in part misleading as it refers to a time when these TABLE I. Drugs Discussed in Chapter Barbiturate Sedative-Hypnotics (short-acting) (long-acting) Axnobarbital Barbital Methohexital Phenobarbital Pentobarbital Secobarbital Non Barbiturate Sedative-Hypnotics Ethchlorvymol Methyprylon Glutethimide Methaqualone Meprobamate Benzodiazepines Clonazepam Lorazepam Clorazepate Medazepam Diazepam Midazolam Flurazepam Triazolam agents were the only compounds available to calm anxious or seriously disturbed people.1 The discussion will center primarily on the barbiturates. This will be the case in part because of the author’s greater familiarity with these compounds, but primarily because these particular drugs have been the “test” substances in almost all of the scientifically controlled hypnotics.