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Biochemical Effects of Anxiolytics

  • Chapter
Psychotropic Agents

Part of the book series: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology ((HEP,volume 55 / 2))

Abstract

Anxiolytic drugs, also called “minor tranquillizers” or anti-anxiety drugs, are substances which reduce pathological anxiety, tension and agitation without therapeutic effects on cognitive or perceptual processes. Most of these drugs are also potent anticonvulsants, sedatives and hypnotics. Several classes (groups) of drugs possess anxiolytic properties. The most important group is the benzodiazepines, which are remarkably non-toxic, much less toxic than the barbiturates. Meprobamate is an anxiolytic drug much used in the 1950s and 1960s but without a known mechanism of action at the biochemical or synaptic level (Berger, 1975). Miscellaneous drugs, such as ß-blockers, and some neuroleptic and antidepressant drugs possess anxiolytic properties in some clinical situations, but are not considered true anxiolytic drugs. The present chapter will focus on the benzodiazepines and emphasis will be given to biochemical effects pertinent to their mechanism of action.

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  1. C. Braestrup
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  1. Institut für Pharmakologie, Bayer AG, Aprather Weg 18a, D-5600, Wuppertal 1, Germany

    F. Hoffmeister

  2. Institut für Arzneimittel des Bundesgesundheitsamtes, Stauffenbergstraße 13, D-1000, Berlin 30, Germany

    G. Stille

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Braestrup, C. (1981). Biochemical Effects of Anxiolytics. In: Hoffmeister, F., Stille, G. (eds) Psychotropic Agents. Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology, vol 55 / 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-67767-0_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-67767-0_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

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