o am ine ▁ox id ase ▁in hib itors ▁( MA O Is ), ▁beta - block ers , ▁or al - contra cept ives , ▁or ▁other ▁medic ations , ▁as ▁their ▁effic acy ▁may ▁be ▁affected . ▁▁ ▁At ▁low ▁dos es ▁But ab ar b ital ▁has ▁been ▁shown ▁clin ically ▁to ▁indu ce ▁d rows iness , ▁de press ing ▁the ▁sens ory ▁cor tex ▁and ▁motor ▁activity . ▁ ▁In ▁some ▁rare ▁cases ▁But ab ar b ital ▁has ▁been ▁shown ▁to ▁produce ▁small ▁burst s ▁of ▁excitement ▁or ▁eu ph oria ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁sed ative ▁effects . ▁ ▁But ab ar b ital ▁is ▁a ▁highly ▁pot ent ▁drug ▁however , ▁with ▁add ict ive ▁properties , ▁and ▁small ▁variations ▁in ▁do se ▁can ▁result ▁in ▁significant ▁es cal ation ▁of ▁effects . ▁ ▁Ph arm ac ology ▁But ab ar b ital ▁is ▁a ▁sed ative ▁hyp not ic ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁bar bit ur ate ▁family . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁relatively ▁fast ▁acting , ▁with ▁a ▁short ▁duration , ▁producing ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁effects ▁from ▁m ild ▁sed ation ▁to ▁hyp nos is ▁as ▁a ▁function ▁of ▁dos age . ▁An ▁over d ose ▁of ▁but ab ar b ital ▁can ▁result ▁in ▁deep ▁com a ▁or ▁even ▁death . ▁ ▁Abs or ption , ▁Distribution ▁and ▁Ex cret ion ▁ ▁But ab ar b itu ates ▁are ▁rapidly ▁distributed ▁and ▁absor bed ▁in ▁the ▁brain , ▁li ver ▁and ▁kid ne ys .