Barbiturates Flashcards
(Urea + Malonic acid = barbituric acid) Why is this significant?
Barbituric acid itself has NO CNS effects. It is the subsitiutions at Carbon #2 and #5 that give barbiturates their sedative and hypnotic properties
What is the significance of substitutions at carbon #5
- Long branched chain at #5 = more potent sedative and hypnotic properties
- Straight chain at #5 = less potent sedative and hypnotic
- Phenyl group at #5 = enhanced anticonvulsant activity (phenobarbitol)
- Methyl Radical at #5 = convulsant activity that manifests as involutary muscle movement (methohexitol)
What is the significance of subsitutions at Carbon #2?
- Determines if it is an OXIbrbiturate or a THIObarbiturate
- OXI = oxygen substitution at Carbon #2
- Hepatic ONLY metabolism
- phenobarbitol (longer DOA than thiopentol)
- THIO = sulfur substitution at Carbon #2
- Hepatic and extrahepatic metbolism
- IN GENERAL:
- MORE lipid soluble
- Greater hypnotic potency
- More rapid onset and shorter DOA
- thiopentol
What is significant about the structure of Methohexitol?
It has a methyl group added to the nitrogen atom of the barbituric acid ring making it have a short DOA
Barbituriates Mechanism of Action
-
Activate GABAA receptors on postsynaptic cell
- increase Cl- cond. (hyperpolarize the membrane)
- functional inhibition of post synaptic neurons.
-
2 ways Barbs interact with GABAA
- Decrease rate of disassociation of GABA from the receptors – increasing GABAA activation of the Cl- channels = depression of the reticular activating system
- MIMMIC GABA = directly activate GABAA receptors.
- Target other receptor types (Glutamate, Adenosine, neuronal nNAChRs)
-
Selectively depress sympathetic ganglia
- decrease blood pressure
-
Neuromuscular junction activity
- decrease sensitivity of post synaptic membranes to the depolarizing action of ACh – Muscle relaxation
Explain the pharmacokinetics of promt awakening
- Due to REDISTRIBUTION of the drug from the effect site (brain) to the inactive tissues (muscles and fat)
- Elimination from the plasma however is very long and elimination depends on metabolism (<1% excreted in the urine)
- also d/t lipid solubility the drug is sequestered in the fat and skeletal muscle and must equilibrate with plasma concentration to be eliminated.
- Fat:blood coef = 11 (more in fat than blood)
Explain the ionization of thiopental related to acidosis
- Tiopentol in the BODY is an ACID
- Thiopentol pKA = 7.6 (very close to physiologic pH of 7.4)
- Acidosis will favor the nonionized fraction of hte drug (acid (7.6) + acid (7.4) = more nonionized)
- Nonionized = more lipid soluble = more access to the CNS
- Acidosis causes MORE drug to be at the effect site and will increase the intensity of the barbiturate effect
Time frame of resistribution of barbiturates
Time frame of redistribution
-
Brain receives 10% of total IV dose = first 30-40s
* Fast uptake d/t high tissue perfusion (VRG) - Decrease brain concentration over the next 5 min
- 2nd uptake primarily skeletal muscle (MG)
- decreased muscle mass = decreased dose (elderly, trauma)
- After 30 minutes <10% of initial TPL remains in brain
- Fat concentration rises for 30 minutes
- reservoir = distribution is dependent on blood flow (VPG)
- Because fat takes so long to fill dose is based on lean body mass to prevent an overdose
- If the amount in the fat reservoir is less than 11x what is in the blood, drug will continue to move from blood to the fat
MOST IMPORTANT step in terminating barbiturate pharmacologic activity
Side chain oxidation at carbon #5 of the benzene ring yielding carboxylic acid
What is the main difference between thiopental and methohexitol?
- E1/2t and clearnace d/t hepatic metabolism
- Thiopentoal
- E1/2 = 11.6 hours
- Clearnace = 3.4 ml/kg/min
- Methohexitol
- E1/2 = 3.9 hours
- Clearnace = 10.9 ml/kg/min
Thiopentol metabolism
- Thiobarbiturate = liver and extra hepatic
- 99% metabolized; <1% renal excretion unchanged
-
Dependent on enzyme activity NOT hepatic blood flow
- Oxidation at carbon #5 = main site of metabolism
- Desulfurization on Carbon #2
- Hydrolytic opening of the Barbituric acid ring
Why does cirrhosis NOT effect the metabolism of thiopental?
takes a HUGE decrease in liver enzymes to prolong the duration of action
Populations with changes in E1/2 of Thiopentol
- Obese – E1/2 prolonged d/t increased Vd – excess fat storage sites
- OLD – slows redistribution from central to peripheral compartments
- Need a LOWER dose to reach the effect site (brain) – decrease dose by 30%
- Pediatrics – E1/2 is shorter due to rapid hepatic clearance = rapid recovery after large dose
- Pregnancy (first trimester) - E1/2 prolonged d/t increased protein binding decrease dose by 18%
When using TPL decrease the dose of this volitile anesthetic
Isoflurane
Methohexitol metabolism
- Methohexitol = oxibarbituate = Hepatic ONLY metabolism
- 99% metabolized; <1% renal excretion unchanged
- Side chain oxidation yeilds inactive metabolite
- (4-hydroxymethylhexol)
- Hepatic clearance is 3x faster than thiopental
What favors urine excreation and why?
- For TPL and methohexitol Alkinalization of urine favors excretion becasue more of the durg is ionized
- Phenobarbitol however alkinalization does NOT favor renal excretion
Only barbiturate that has significan exretion in the unchanged form
Phenobarbitol - becasue there is less protein binding
Clinical uses of Barbiturates
- Induction of anesthesia
- Treatment of increased ICP
Barbiturates effect at the NMJ
Decrease sensitivity of the POSTSYNAPTIC ACh receptor may have some muscle relaxation as defined my it MOA, but skeletal muscle relaxation is incomplete and a NMB is still needed
Why does methohexitol still have a rapid early awakening when its metabolism and E1/2 are much faster than thiopentol?
Because early awakening is dependent on redistribution
Barbiturate that may cause myoclonus, hiccoughs and seizures
Methohexatol
Relative potencies of thiopentol, thiamylol and methohexatol
Drug and Potency
- Thiopentol = 1
- Thiamylal = 1.1
- Methohexitol = 2.5
No clinical differences between TPL and Thiamylol
% nonionized at 7.4 for thiopental and methohexatol
- Thiopentol = 61%
- Methohexatol = 76%
Relative dosages of methohexatol and thiopental
Thiopental Dose
- IV: 3-5mg/kg
- Elderly = Decrease
- Peds IV: 5-6 mg/kg
- Infants: 7-8 mg/kg
Methohexatol
- IV: 1-2 mg/kg
- Peds Rectal: 20-30 mg/kg