Nembutal, the brand name for the generic drug, Pentobarbital Sodium, is in a group of drugs called barbiturates. Barbiturates are nonselective central nervous system depressants. Nembutal is commonly used to slow the activity of the brain and nervous system. It is used short-term to treat insomnia, although the drug seems to lose its effectiveness within a two -week period. Nembutal can also be used as an emergency treatment for seizures, and to cause someone to fall asleep for surgery. When used for seizures, it is most often seen in the treatment of acute episodes relating to meningitis, eclampsia, tetanus and status epilepticus. Nembutal also has an application in reducing intracranial pressure in Reye’s syndrome, traumatic brain injury and induction of coma in cerebral ischemia patients.

Being in the barbiturate family, the drug has the potential to be habit forming. Tolerance to the drug, as well as physical and psychological dependence can occur with continual use. The drug is trademarked and manufactured by the Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck, and is the only injectable form of pentobarbital approved for sale in the United States. In high doses, pentobarbital causes death by respiratory arrest. In the United States, the drug has been used for executions of humans. It is also one of the most popular drugs in euthanasia and drug assisted suicide, as it is known for being reliable and swift in its lethal effects.