Barbiturates, Alcohol, And Tranquilizers

Abstract

Alcohol, barbiturates, nonbarbiturate hypno-sedatives, and minor tranquilizers may all be considered to comprise a single pharmacological category of nonselective central nervous system depressants. They are characterized by progressive anxiolytic, sedative, and soporific effects with increasing doses. The minor tranquilizers, such as the benzodiazepines, may be differentiated from the hypnosedatives inasmuch as they display a 38wider dosage differential between anti-anxiety and hypnosedative activity. ¹ Dependence to alcohol, barbiturates, and minor tranquilizers might, therefore, be grouped as dependence of the alcohol-hypnosedative type. There is no convincing evidence that major tranquilizers, such as the phenothiazines, can produce a dependent state. ¹