Amytal and Nembutal are examples of which drug class?

• A. Barbiturates
• B. Benzodiazepines
• C. Opioids
• D. Stimulants

Answer: (A)

Amytal (amobarbital) and Nembutal (pentobarbital) are barbiturates, a class of older sedative-hypnotic medications. They work by enhancing the effect of GABA at the GABA-A receptor, increasing chloride ion influx into neurons, which depresses brain activity to produce calming, sleep-inducing, or anticonvulsant effects. Because barbiturates depress the central nervous system more broadly and have a narrow safety margin, they carry risks of serious sedation, respiratory depression, coma, and dependence. For this reason they’ve largely been replaced by benzodiazepines for many uses, though a related barbiturate is still used in some seizure treatments. The other options don’t fit: benzodiazepines are a different, related class; opioids are analgesics; stimulants increase CNS activity.