Barbiturates are widely used as anesthetics, anticonvulsants, and neuroprotective agents. However, barbiturates may also inhibit mitochondrial respiration, and mitochondrial inhibitors are known to potentiate NMDA receptor-mediated neurotoxicity. Here we used rat cortical cultures to examine the effect of barbiturates on neuronal mitochondria and responses to NMDA receptor stimulation. The barb...

Despite the widespread use of barbiturates and their clear potential for abuse, little is known of their neurochemical mechanisms of action. Our purpose is to review the neurochemical effects of acute and chronic barbiturate administration, with particular emphasis on the relationship between neurochemical changes and the development of tolerance and dependence. The electrophysiological effects...

A recently developed procedure for alkylatiori of organic acids has proven extremely successful for preparation of volatile alkyl derivatives of the barbiturates for gas-chromatographic analysis. Soluble salts are formed in a mixture of N,N-dimethylacetamide and methanol. These in turn react rapidly with alkyl iodides to form the corresponding alkyl derivatives. The butyl derivatives of barbitu...