Embutramide
Encyclopedia
Embutramide is a potent sedative
drug developed by Hoechst A.G. in 1958. It was developed as a general anaesthetic
agent, but was found to have a very narrow therapeutic window, with a 50mg/kg dose producing effective sedation, but a 75mg/kg dose was fatal. Along with strong sedative effects, embutramide also produces respiratory depression and ventricular arrythmia. This meant that it has never been adopted for medical use as an anaesthetic as it is far too dangerous for this purpose, but instead is used for euthanasia
in veterinary medicine
, mainly for euthanising dogs. It is formulated as a combination product under the brand name Tributame, which also contains chloroquine
and lidocaine
.
Embutramide is used for euthanasia of a range of different animals, mainly small animals kept as pets rather than large farm animals. It may cause significant pain to the animal being euthanised, and so may be less humane than older drugs used for this purpose such as pentobarbital
, however it may have less abuse potential than barbiturates especially in the Tributame combination formulation, and so is less likely to be diverted for recreational abuse. Embutramide has however been reported to be used for suicide
by people with access to the drug, and was added to the list of Schedule III drugs in the USA in 2006.
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
drug developed by Hoechst A.G. in 1958. It was developed as a general anaesthetic
General anaesthetic
A general anaesthetic is a drug that brings about a reversible loss of consciousness. These drugs are generally administered by an anaesthesia provider to induce or maintain general anaesthesia to facilitate surgery...
agent, but was found to have a very narrow therapeutic window, with a 50mg/kg dose producing effective sedation, but a 75mg/kg dose was fatal. Along with strong sedative effects, embutramide also produces respiratory depression and ventricular arrythmia. This meant that it has never been adopted for medical use as an anaesthetic as it is far too dangerous for this purpose, but instead is used for euthanasia
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
in veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
, mainly for euthanising dogs. It is formulated as a combination product under the brand name Tributame, which also contains chloroquine
Chloroquine
Chloroquine is a 4-aminoquinoline drug used in the treatment or prevention of malaria.-History:Chloroquine , N'--N,N-diethyl-pentane-1,4-diamine, was discovered in 1934 by Hans Andersag and co-workers at the Bayer laboratories who named it "Resochin". It was ignored for a decade because it was...
and lidocaine
Lidocaine
Lidocaine , Xylocaine, or lignocaine is a common local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic drug. Lidocaine is used topically to relieve itching, burning and pain from skin inflammations, injected as a dental anesthetic or as a local anesthetic for minor surgery.- History :Lidocaine, the first amino...
.
Embutramide is used for euthanasia of a range of different animals, mainly small animals kept as pets rather than large farm animals. It may cause significant pain to the animal being euthanised, and so may be less humane than older drugs used for this purpose such as pentobarbital
Pentobarbital
Pentobarbital is a short-acting barbiturate that was first synthesized in 1928. Pentobarbital is available as both a free acid and a sodium salt, the former of which is only slightly soluble in water and ethanol....
, however it may have less abuse potential than barbiturates especially in the Tributame combination formulation, and so is less likely to be diverted for recreational abuse. Embutramide has however been reported to be used for suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by people with access to the drug, and was added to the list of Schedule III drugs in the USA in 2006.