Amobarbital (Amytal) is one of the many different members of the BARBITU-RATE family of central nervous system depressants used to produce relaxation, sleep, anesthesia, and anticonvulsant effects. In terms of the duration of its effects, it is considered an intermediate-acting barbiturate. When taken by mouth, its sedating effects take about 1 hour to develop and last about 6 to 8 hours, although it takes considerably longer forall the drug to leave the body.

In addition to its use as a sedative, amobarbital is occasionally used in psychiatric evaluation in so-called "Amytal interviews," to relax patients in order to help them recall memories or information that has been repressed due to trauma. This technique was sometimes called narcoanalysis or narcotherapy.

Dosage and Administration

Amobarbital may be given orally, intramuscularly, or intravenously for the treatment of insomnia oranxiety. The adult dosage forsedation is 15 to 50 milligrams but 65 to 200 milligrams for sleep. Fortreating convulsions, the...