Introduction: Barbiturates are being widely used as antiepileptics, hypnotics and anaesthetics ( Figure and Table ). The incidence of barbiturate poisoning cases tends to increase in Japan ( Figure ) [1]. A majority of the barbiturate drugs is being controlled by the Narcotics ⊡ Figure Structures of barbiturates. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005 302 Barbiturates ⊡ Figure Incidence of fatal barbiturate poisoning cases. Since fatal cases due to Vegetamin® tablets containing phenobarbital are many, its incidence rate is also shown in this figure. and Psychotropics Control Law in Japan; thus they are also important drugs in view of forensic toxicology. . | Barbiturates by Masaru Terada and Ritsuko Watanabe Introduction Barbiturates are being widely used as antiepileptics hypnotics and anaesthetics Figure and Table . The incidence of barbiturate poisoning cases tends to increase in Japan Figure 1 . A majority of the barbiturate drugs is being controlled by the Narcotics O Figure 0 Compound R r2 r3 X barbital C2H5- C2H5- H 0 phenobarbital C2H5- H 0 mephobarbital C2Hs- ch3 0 metharbital C2H5- C2Hs- ch3 0 cyclobarbital C2Hs- H 0 allobarbital CH2CHCH2- CH2CHCH2- H 0 amobarbital CH3 2CH CH2 - C2H5- H 0 pentobarbital CHs CH2 2CH3CH- C2Hs- H 0 secobarbital CH3 CH2 2CH3CH- CH2CHCH2- H 0 hexobarbital ch3- ch3 0 thiopental CH3 CH2 2CH3CH- C2R5- H s thiamylal ch3 CH2 2CH3CH- CH2CHCH2- H s Structures of barbiturates. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005 302 Barbiturates Incidence of fatal barbiturate poisoning cases. Since fatal cases due to Vegetamin tablets containing phenobarbital are many its incidence rate is also shown in this figure. and Psychotropics Control Law in Japan thus they are also important drugs in view of forensic toxicology. The analysis of barbiturates in human specimens is being made by GC 2-6 GC MS 3 6 7-9 HPLC 10-13 LC MS MS 14 capillary electrophoresis 15 and immunoassays 16 17 . In this chapter usual methods for analysis of barbiturates by GC and HPLC are presented. O Table Properties and doses of barbiturates Action type Compound Route Therapeutic dose g Maximum dose g long-acting barbital oral phenobarbital oral phenobarbital sodium suppository metharbital oral Intermediate amobarbital oral acting amobarbital sodium . i. m. short-acting pentobarbital calcium oral pentobarbital sodium . secobarbital sodium . hexobarbital oral ultrashort-acting thiopental sodium . anaesthetic thiamylal sodium . GC analysis 303 O Figure phenobarbital
