Ma'anar ƙamus na "Seconal" yana nufin alamar sunan wani magani mai suna secobarbital sodium, wanda shine maganin barbiturate wanda ake amfani dashi azaman maganin kwantar da hankali da hypnotic. Yana aiki ta hanyar rage jinkirin tsarin juyayi na tsakiya, yana haifar da shakatawa da barci. Yawancin lokaci ana ba da shi don maganin rashin barci na ɗan gajeren lokaci, damuwa, ko azaman maganin riga-kafi. Abu ne da ake sarrafa shi kuma yana iya zama jaraba idan aka yi amfani da shi ko kuma a sha na tsawon lokaci.