Barbituates are central nervous system depressants.
They are used therapeutically as sedatives, hypnotics,
and anticonvulsants. Barbituates are almost always taken
orally as capsules or tablets. The effects resemble
those of intoxication with alcohol. Chronic use of
barbituates leads to tolerance and physical dependence.
Short acting barbituates (e.g. Secobarbital) taken at
400 mg/day for 2-3 months produces a clinically
significant degree of physical dependence.
Withdrawl symptoms experienced during periods of drug
abstinence can be severe enough to cause death. Less
than 5% of most barbituates are excreted unaltered in
urine. The approximate detection times limits for
barbituates are 4-5 days for short acting barbituates
such as Secobarbital and 7 days for long acting
barbituates such as Phenobarbital.
The following table lists the concentration of
compounds (ng/mL) that are detected barbituate positive
in urine by the iScreen, iCassette, and iCup products.
| Secobarbital |
300 ng/mL |
| Amobarbital |
300 ng/mL |
| Alphenal |
150 ng/mL |
| Alporbarbital |
200 ng/mL |
| Butabarbital |
75 ng/mL |
| Butalbital |
2,500 ng/mL |
| Butethal |
100 ng/mL |
| Cyclopentobarbital |
600 ng/mL |
| Pentobarbital |
300 ng/mL |
| Phenobarbital |
100 ng/mL |
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