(butobarbitone) n. an intermediate-acting *barbiturate, taken for the treatment of severe insomnia that has not responded to other drugs. Prolonged administration may lead to *dependence and its use with alcohol should be avoided; overdosage has serious effects (see barbiturism).
n. any of a group of drugs, derived from barbituric acid, that depress activity of the central nervous system and were formerly widely used as sedatives and hypnotics. They are classified into three groups according to their duration of action – short, intermediate, and long. Because they produce *tolerance and psychological and physical *dependence, have serious toxic side-effects (see barbiturism), and can be fatal following large overdosage, barbiturates have been largely replaced in clinical use by safer drugs. The main exception is the very short-acting drug *thiopental, which is used to induce anaesthesia. See also amobarbital; butobarbital; phenobarbital.... barbiturate
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