A hypnotic and sedative used in the treatment of insomnia. The safety margin is too narrow
for chloral hydrate to be used as a general anesthetic in humans, but it is commonly used
for that purpose in animal experiments.
It is no longer considered useful as an anti-anxiety medication.
Insomnia
Disorder characterized by impairment of the ability to initiate or maintain sleep.
This may occur as a primary disorder or in association with another medical or psychiatric
condition.
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Pharmacologic Action
Hypnotic and Sedative
Drugs used to induce drowsiness or sleep or to reduce psychological excitement or anxiety.
Intravenous Anesthetic
Ultrashort-acting anesthetics that are used for induction. Loss of consciousness is rapid
and induction is pleasant, but there is no muscle relaxation and reflexes frequently
are not reduced adequately. Repeated administration results in accumulation and prolongs
the recovery time. Since these agents have little if
any analgesic activity, they are seldom used alone except in brief minor procedures.
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07 Aug 2008
Toxicology and carcinogenesis study of chloral hydrate
Chloral hydrate is used medically as a sedative or hypnotic and as a rubefacient in topical
preparations, and it is often given to children as a sedative during dental and other
medical procedures. Chloral hydrate is used as a central nervous system depressant and
sedative in veterinary medicine and as a general anesthetic in cattle and horses.
It is a byproduct of the chlorination of water and has been detected in plant effluent
after the bleaching of softwood pulp. Chloral, the anhydrous form of chloral hydrate,
is used as a synthetic intermediate in the production of insecticides and herbicides.
Chloral hydrate was nominated for study by the Food and Drug Administration based upon
widespread human exposure and its potential hepatotoxicity and the toxicity of related
chemicals. A dietary control component was incorporated in response to concerns within
the regulatory community relating to increased background neoplasm incidences in rodent
strains used for toxicity testing and to the proposed use of dietary restriction
to control background neoplasm incidence in rodent cancer studies.
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