Posted by yxibow on October 27, 2006, at 3:16:21
In reply to Re: Phenobarbital for Anxiety » yxibow, posted by ed_uk on October 26, 2006, at 13:43:32
> >its pointless today
>
> Phenobarbital has a different mechanism of action to the benzodiazepines. Saying 'it's pointless' is not sensible.Well, lets see, it was brought to market in 1912. Its not pointless for certain types of epilepsy although it is not a first line agent. It is not a second line agent typically either. Phenytoin is. For status epilepticus.
And you're right to a point, I quote:
"Barbiturates augment GABA responses by promoting the binding of GABA to the receptor and increasing the length of time that chloride channels are open. The mechanism is distinct from the benzodiazepines, which increase the frequency of channel openings."
-- Clinical Pharmacology.
But they both act on GABA and one class is far more safer today than a drug discovered before the FDA or even the Controlled Substances Act.
However, the LD50 is still significantly more than clonazepam or diazepam. Not going to list the grams for obvious reasons. But the verse about the "weeks worth of Valium and slept" from The Verve Pipe "The Freshmen" is only parable. People have survived xxx dose of many benzodiazepines.
The generic of Donnatal to this day is still sold for certain gastrointestinal disorders -- that barbiturate mixture is more self-limiting in terms of dose escalation because one quickly discovers what atropine toxicity is -- essentially psychosis, and hopefully stops there.-- Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:697393
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061020/msgs/698105.html