Barbiturates are ‘sedative-hypnotic medications.’
They are multifaceted drugs that have a range of applications, including:
inducing coma
managing anxiety prior to medical procedures
managing seizures
treating neonatal abstinence syndrome
treating insomnia and sleep deprivation
Barbiturates work by enhancing the action of GABA. Gaba is a neurotransmitter – a naturally occurring chemical in the brain. The job of GABA is to inhibit function. There are some instances where the brain can act too fast. For instance, seizures are caused by high levels of electrical activity in the brain, and anxiety can be related to increased neuron firing. GABA is a natural mechanism to control this.
But for some people, GABA levels are low. This is where drugs like barbiturates come in, as they can enhance the action of GABA in a targeted effort to reduce brain activity.