Not Medical Advice: Barbiturates are drugs that cause relaxation and sleepiness, while opiates or opioids are drugs used to treat pain.
As explained by Mayo Clinic, barbiturates belong to the group of medicines called central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that cause drowsiness). They act on the brain and CNS to produce effects that may be helpful or harmful.
Some of the barbiturates may be used before surgery to relieve anxiety or tension. In addition, some of the barbiturates are used as anticonvulsants to help control seizures in certain disorders or diseases, such as epilepsy.
Barbiturates have also been used to treat insomnia and relieve nervousness or restlessness during the daytime.
On the other hand, opioids are medications that relieve pain. They reduce the intensity of pain signals reaching the brain and affect those brain areas controlling emotion, which diminishes the effects of a painful stimulus.
Learn the safety tips for prescription and over the counter medications from MedicineNet.