Current Scheduling Status
None
Year(s) and type of review / ECDD meetings
Drug Class
Recommendation (from TRS)
Substance identification
Hexethal (CAS 77-30-5), chemically 5-ethyl-5-hexylbarbiturate,has no common names. It is a racemic mixture.
Similarity to known substances and effects on the CNS
Few data are available on hexethal. It has been classified pharmacologically as a short-acting sedative-hypnotic barbiturate. As it is a hypnotic agent, it is presumed that dose-related drowsiness, vertigo, confusion, and incoordination can occur. No data are available on its metabolism or pharmacokinetics.
Dependence potential
Since the drug was originally marketed as a sedative and a hypnotic, it may be assumed to produce typical barbiturate-like sedative-hypnotic effects on the central nervous system. As it is a hypnotic, it is presumed that tolerance, both natural and functional, may occur. Cross-tolerance may occur to other barbiturates, nonbarbiturate hypnotics, ethanol, and other sedative-hypnotic drugs.
Actual abuse and or/evidence of likelihood of abuse
There is no information on the ability of hexethal to induce physical or psychic dependence in either animals or man in controlled laboratory studies.
Therapeutic usefulness
Hexethal has been used as a sedative-hypnotic but no information on its therapeutic use has been found. According to the information available to the Committee, this substance is no longer marketed. It is registered in five countries, but is not available on the market. The Committee rated the therapeutic usefulness of hexethal as relatively low.
Recommendation
The Committee found that there was insufficient evidence that hexethal is being, or is likely to be, abused so as to constitute a public health and social problem warranting the placing of the substance under international control. On the basis of the very. limited data concerning its pharmacological profile, dependence potential, and actual abuse, the Committee rated the likelihood. of abuse of hexethal as indeterminate. The degree of the public health and social problems associated with the drug was found to be low, as was its therapeutic
usefulness. In the light of this assessment, the Committee recommended against scheduling of the drug.
Hexethal (CAS 77-30-5), chemically 5-ethyl-5-hexylbarbiturate,has no common names. It is a racemic mixture.
Similarity to known substances and effects on the CNS
Few data are available on hexethal. It has been classified pharmacologically as a short-acting sedative-hypnotic barbiturate. As it is a hypnotic agent, it is presumed that dose-related drowsiness, vertigo, confusion, and incoordination can occur. No data are available on its metabolism or pharmacokinetics.
Dependence potential
Since the drug was originally marketed as a sedative and a hypnotic, it may be assumed to produce typical barbiturate-like sedative-hypnotic effects on the central nervous system. As it is a hypnotic, it is presumed that tolerance, both natural and functional, may occur. Cross-tolerance may occur to other barbiturates, nonbarbiturate hypnotics, ethanol, and other sedative-hypnotic drugs.
Actual abuse and or/evidence of likelihood of abuse
There is no information on the ability of hexethal to induce physical or psychic dependence in either animals or man in controlled laboratory studies.
Therapeutic usefulness
Hexethal has been used as a sedative-hypnotic but no information on its therapeutic use has been found. According to the information available to the Committee, this substance is no longer marketed. It is registered in five countries, but is not available on the market. The Committee rated the therapeutic usefulness of hexethal as relatively low.
Recommendation
The Committee found that there was insufficient evidence that hexethal is being, or is likely to be, abused so as to constitute a public health and social problem warranting the placing of the substance under international control. On the basis of the very. limited data concerning its pharmacological profile, dependence potential, and actual abuse, the Committee rated the likelihood. of abuse of hexethal as indeterminate. The degree of the public health and social problems associated with the drug was found to be low, as was its therapeutic
usefulness. In the light of this assessment, the Committee recommended against scheduling of the drug.
ECDD Recommendation
Scheduling/control not currently recommended
Link to full TRS
who_trs_741.pdf2.21 MB