A crystalline dibasic acid from which barbital and other barbiturates are derived; has no sedative action. SYN: malonylurea.
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bar·bi·tu·ric acid .bär-bə-.t(y)u̇r-ik- n a synthetic crystalline acid C4H4N2O3 that is a derivative of pyrimidine also any of its acid derivatives of which some are used as hypnotics
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bar·bi·tur·ic ac·id (bahr-bĭ-tūrґik) the parent compound of the barbiturates, 2,4,6-trioxohexahydropyrimidine. It is not itself a central nervous system depressant; the presence of alkyl or aryl groups at position 5 gives its derivatives their sedative and hypnotic effects.Medical dictionary. 2011.