Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2025

Assessing Changes in Volatile General Anesthetic Sensitivity of Mice after Local or Systemic Pharmacological Intervention
Published on: October 16, 2013
[Veronal, in Lord Edgware Dies: A Double-edged Sword of Sedation and Addiction]
1Department of Physiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine.
Abstract:
Veronal, introduced during the early 20th century was widely used as a sleeping pill at the time, and this drug is mentioned in Agatha Christie's novels. Research has proved that in addition to their sedative effects, Veronal and other sleeping pills with similar mechanisms of action are associated with undesirable effects that can lead to addiction and overdose. Barbiturate-induced deaths include the high-profile suicides of the famous American actress Marilyn Monroe and Ryunosuke Akutagawa, a prolific Japanese writer and poet. Soseki Natsume attempted an overdose of sleeping pills; however, he was surrounded by many disciples, and a disciple who observed the adverse effects of the drug prevented Natsume from overdosing. This example highlights that addiction depends on the social relationships surrounding an individual.
More Related Videos
14:52Recording Brain Electromagnetic Activity During the Administration of the Gaseous Anesthetic Agents Xenon and Nitrous Oxide in Healthy Volunteers
Published on: January 13, 2018
05:09Urethral Stricture Induction Followed by Buccal Mucosa Graft Urethroplasty in a Rat Model
Published on: April 28, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Barbiturates
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
Sedatives and Hypnotics: Overview
Sedative-hypnotics are categorized into barbiturates, benzodiazepines (BZDs), and non-benzodiazepines or Z-drugs. These drugs work by suppressing central nervous system activity, and this suppression is dose-dependent. Older sedative medications, like barbiturates, follow a linear curve in...
Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the effects of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA. They bind to the GABAA receptor, increasing its affinity for GABA, which opens chloride...
Depressants
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...
CNS Depressants: Barbiturates and Benzodiazepines