Chronic lack of sleep, disorders of the nervous system in themselves are not fatal, but they bring significant harm to health and well-being. Barbiturate-class drugs help treat such ailments.
Composition and properties
In appearance, barbital sodium is a crystalline white powder, odorless, with a bitter aftertaste. The chemical formula of the drug is C8H11N2Na03, which belongs to the class of barbiturates. Synonyms - veronal sodium, barbiton, medal. It is soluble in water already at a ratio of 1 to 5, slightly soluble in alcohol. The aqueous solution gives an alkaline reaction; when injected, it is prepared using sterilized water under sterile conditions. With prolonged storage, the solution decomposes.
High solubility makes it easy to absorb from the gastrointestinal tract, toxicity in recommended amounts is harmless to health. Depending on the dose taken, it has a sedative or hypnotic effect. Easily cleansed from the body.
Application, dosage
In medicine, barbital sodium helps with insomnia, nervous excitement, neuralgia, gives an anticonvulsant and antiemetic effect. Take the drug 30-40 minutes before bedtime, drink milk, warm tea.
The recommended oral dose for adults is 0.3-0.75 g, for children from 0.025 to 0.25. The maximum daily intake is limited to 1 and 0.5 grams, respectively.
Subcutaneously or intramuscularly, the drug is administered up to 5 mg of a 10% solution by adding novocaine. Entering through the rectum is done using enemas (up to 0.5 g per 5-10 ml of water) or suppositories.
Powder is the main form of release of barbital sodium; the pharmacopoeia prohibits its release in tablets. Storage is carried out in tightly closed packaging due to its high hygroscopicity. The exclusion of access to the drug for children is a necessary condition.
The drug is recommended for vomiting, convulsions, poisoning not only people but also animals. Barbital sodium in the veterinarian’s prescription is not uncommon in sleep disturbances, over-excitation of livestock, dogs, and cats.
Negative factors
The use of the drug causes deep sleep lasting up to 8 hours, but widespread and continuous use is limited. The specificity of the effect of sleeping pills is that the duration of the “fast” phase increases, the “slow” on the contrary, as a result, the structure of sleep is disturbed.
The use of barbital sodium for more than 15 days is addictive, treatment for more than 1.5 months - drug dependence.
Possible side effects:
- vomiting
- depression;
- headache;
- allergy
- prostration.
The appearance of the above symptoms requires stopping the use of the drug. Change in skin color, dilated pupils, irritability and a sense of anxiety are a reason for changing the therapy.
Contraindications
There are a number of factors that preclude the use of barbiturates:
- individual intolerance;
- diseases of the liver, kidneys;
- respiratory system disorders;
- pregnancy;
- diabetes;
- alcoholism.
Prolonged use or overdose causes irritability, aggressiveness, disturbances in the thought process and decreased performance. In special cases, visual impairment, speech retardation are observed.
Addiction development
Sleep disorders, deviations of the nervous system can be treated with sodium barbital for two weeks. Subsequently, addiction develops, achieving a positive effect requires an increase in doses.
The negative effect is cumulative, after 2-3 months of use, drug dependence develops. In the early stages, the patient can independently refuse the medicine, with prolonged abuse, serious and long treatment will be required.
Barbital sodium, like most drugs, requires the advice of a doctor and self-discipline, then a positive effect will be achieved without compromising health.