Thiopental is an ultrashort-acting barbiturate of the thiobarbituric acid class, primarily used in clinical settings for the induction of general anesthesia, management of convulsions, and reduction of intracranial pressure. Administered intravenously, it produces rapid-onset hypnosis and anesthesia but notably lacks analgesic properties, small doses may actually lower the pain threshold. It is considered habit-forming and is also employed in medically induced comas.
Tiopental molecular structure diagram from the DrugsPRO substance library.
Also known as: Pentothal, Thiopentone, Penthiobarbital, Sodium pentothal, Sodium thiopental, Thiopental Sodium, Thionembutal, Nesdonal, Trapanal, Sodipental, Thiomebumal, Thiopentobarbital
Classification
Chemical: Barbiturate
Psychoactive: Depressant
Tag: Habit-Forming
Tag: Sedative
Tag: Thiobarbituric acid derivative
Effects
Sleepiness
Decreased Blood Pressure
Sedation
Respiratory Depression
Loss Of Consciousness
Muscle Relaxation
Amnesia
Memory Impairment
Anxiety Suppression
Sadness
Reduced Anxiety
Euphoria
Dulled Perception
Disinhibition
Open Eye Visuals
Double Vision
Blurred Vision
Visual Acuity Suppression
Routes of Administration
Intravenous
Dosage
Heavy: Not recommended outside tightly controlled ICU/anesthesia protocols; higher cumulative dosing markedly increases risk of apnea and hypotension. mg/kg
Light: 2–3 mg/kg (light hypnosis)
Common: 3–5 mg/kg (induction bolus in adults; pediatrics often higher)
Strong: 5–6 mg/kg (only in closely monitored anesthesia)
Threshold: ~1–2 mg/kg (sedation)
Duration
Onset: 0.01-0.01 h
Offset: 0.08-0.17 h
After Effects: 120-360 h
Peak: 1-2 h
Total Duration: 5-15 h
Oral
Dosage
No data available for this section yet.
Duration
After Effects: 1-24 h
Harm Reduction
Check interactions before mixing substances, pay attention to dose spacing and hydration, and treat all dosage guidance as approximate rather than guaranteed safe.
Sources
Substance data is aggregated from the following public harm-reduction and reference sources.
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Thiopental - Ghid de substanțe DrugsPRO
Thiopental: Thiopental is an ultrashort-acting barbiturate of the thiobarbituric acid class, primarily used in clinical settings for the induction of general anesthesia, management of convulsions, and reduction of intracranial pressure. Administered intravenously, it produces rapid-onset hypnosis an
