tranquilizer

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tranquilizer

tranquilizer drug whose action calms the central nervous system , decreasing emotional agitation without impairing alertness. Tranquilizing drugs differ from hypnotic drugs such as barbiturates in that they do not act on the brain's cortical areas but rather on its lower portions, e.g., the hypothalamus . They have been found helpful in the treatment of tension and mental illness. Reserpine , which appeared on the market in 1952, was the first tranquilizer to be used in modern Western medicine. Other drugs used as tranquilizers include the phenothiazines , meprobamate , certain muscle relaxants and anticonvulsants, and lithium carbonate. See also psychopharmacology .

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"tranquilizer." The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 17 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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tranquil

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Â© The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology 1996, originally published by Oxford University Press 1996. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

tranquil XVII. — F. tranquille or L. tranquillus.

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T. F. HOAD. "tranquil." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 17 Dec. 2009 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "tranquil." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (December 17, 2009). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-tranquil.html

T. F. HOAD. "tranquil." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved December 17, 2009 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-tranquil.html

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tranquilizer

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | © The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English 2009, originally published by Oxford University Press 2009. (Hide copyright information) Copyright

tran·quil·iz·er / ˈtrangkwəˌlīzər/ (Brit. tran·quil·liz·er) • n. a medicinal drug taken to reduce tension or anxiety.

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