Embutramide

Embutramide (INN, USAN, BAN) (brand name Embutane) is a potent opioid analgesic and sedative drug that is structurally related to methadone. It was developed by Hoechst A.G. in 1958 and was investigated as a general anesthetic agent, but was found to have a very narrow therapeutic window, with a 50 mg/kg dose producing effective sedation and a 75 mg/kg dose being fatal. Along with strong sedative effects, embutramide also produces respiratory depression and ventricular arrhythmia. Because of these properties, it was never been adopted for medical use as an anesthetic as it was considered too dangerous for this purpose. Instead it is used for euthanasia in veterinary medicine, mainly for the euthanization of dogs.