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Butatab: Full Drug Profile

Medically reviewed by Min Clinic Staff | Updated: January 2026

Butatab - General Information

Butatab (trade name Butisol) is a prescription barbiturate sleep aid. Butatab has a particularly fast onset of effects and short duration of action compared to other barbiturates, which makes it useful for certain applications such as treating severe insomnia and relieving anxiety before surgical procedures; however it is also relatively dangerous particularly when combined with alcohol, and so is now rarely used, although it is still prescribed in some Eastern European and South American countries. Its short duration of action gives butabarbital a high abuse potential, comparable to secobarbital. [Wikipedia]

 

Pharmacology of Butatab

Butatab, a barbiturate, is used for the treatment of short term insomnia. It belongs to a group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) depressants that induce drowsiness and relieve tension or nervousness. Little analgesia is conferred by barbiturates; their use in the presence of pain may result in excitation.

 

Butatab for patients

 

Butatab Interactions

Interactions may occur with the following: adrenocorticoids (cortisone-like medicine), anticoagulants (blood thinners), carbamazepine, corticotropin (barbiturates may decrease the effects of these medicines), central nervous system (CNS) depressants (using these medicines with barbiturates may result in increased CNS depressant effects), divalproex sodium, valproic acid (using these medicines with barbiturates may change the amount of either medicine that you need to take), and oral contraceptives containing estrogens (barbiturates may decrease the effectiveness of these oral contraceptives, and you may need to change to a different type of birth control).

 

Butatab Contraindications

The following conditions may affect the use of barbiturates: alcohol abuse (or history of), history of/current drug abuse or dependence (dependence on barbiturates may develop), anemia (severe), asthma (history of), emphysema, or other chronic lung disease, diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes), hyperactivity (in children), mental depression, overactive thyroid, porphyria (barbiturates may make the condition worse), kidney disease, liver disease (higher blood levels of barbiturates may result, increasing the chance of side effects), pain (barbiturates may cause unexpected excitement or mask important symptoms of more serious problems), underactive adrenal gland (barbiturates may interfere with the effects of other medicines needed for this condition).

 

Additional information about Butatab

Butatab Indication: For short-term treatment of insomnia and anxiety disorders Mechanism Of Action: Butatab binds at a distinct binding site associated with a Cl- ionopore at the GABAA receptor, increasing the duration of time for which the Cl- ionopore is open. The post-synaptic inhibitory effect of GABA in the thalamus is, therefore, prolonged. All of these effects are associated with marked decreases in GABA-sensitive neuronal calcium conductance (gCa). The net result of barbiturate action is acute potentiation of inhibitory GABAergic tone. Barbiturates also act through potent (if less well characterized) and direct inhibition of excitatory AMPA-type glutamate receptors, resulting in a profound suppression of glutamatergic neurotransmission. Drug Interactions: Not Available Food Interactions: Not Available Generic Name: Butabarbital Synonyms: Butabarbital Sodium; Butabarbitone; Secbubarbital; Secbutobarbitone; Secbutobarbital; Secbutabarbital; Sodium Butabarbital; Butrate Drug Category: Anti-anxiety Agents; Hypnotics and Sedatives; Barbiturates Drug Type: Small Molecule; Illicit; Approved Other Brand Names containing Butabarbital: Butabarb; Butalan; Butatab; Butatal; Buticaps; Butisol; Butisol Sodium; Medarsed; Nilox; Sarisol; Sarisol No. 1; Unicelles; Absorption: Not Available Toxicity (Overdose): Signs of overdose include confusion (severe), decrease in or loss of reflexes, drowsiness (severe), fever, irritability (continuing), low body temperature, poor judgment, shortness of breath or slow or troubled breathing, slow heartbeat, slurred speech, staggering, trouble in sleeping, unusual movements of the eyes, weakness (severe). Protein Binding: Not Available Biotransformation: Not Available Half Life: Not Available Dosage Forms of Butatab: Not Available Chemical IUPAC Name: 5-butan-2-yl-5-ethyl-1,3-diazinane-2,4,6-trione Chemical Formula: C10H16N2O3 Butabarbital on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butabarbital Organisms Affected: Humans and other mammals