Talbutal (Lotusate) is a barbiturate with a short to intermediate duration of action.

Barbiturates act as nonselective depressants of the central nervous system (CNS), capable of producing all levels of CNS mood alteration from excitation to mild sedation, hypnosis, and deep coma.

In sufficiently high therapeutic doses, barbiturates induce anesthesia.

The post-synaptic inhibitory effect of GABA in the thalamus is, therefore, prolonged.

Symptoms of acute barbiturate poisoning include drowsiness, confusion, coma, respiratory depression, hypotension,[1] and shock.