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The drugs here are classified in groups, according to their effects.
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| Drug Class |
Primary Effects/Approved Medicinal
Uses |
Names of the substances |
| Opiates/Opioids/
Narcotic Analgesics |
analgesia, cough suppression, antidiarrhea, suppression
of opiate withdrawal, sedation; currently used therapeutically for
the first four effects |
opium, morphine, codeine, heroin
(diacetyl morphine), fentanyl,
methadone,
meperidine, L-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM) |
| Narcotic/Opiate
Antagonists |
block the effects of narcotics; used to treat opiate
overdose |
naloxone, naltrexone |
| Psychomotor
Stimulants |
stimulate psychological and sensory-motor functioning;
used therapeutically to treat ADHD and narcolepsy, sometimes as an
appetite suppressant, occasionally antifatigue, formerly for asthma
and for sinsus decongestion |
amphetamine,
methamphetamine,
cocaine,
methylphenidate |
| Other Stimulants |
similar to psychomotor stimulants but with much less
efficacy; various therapeutic effects including caffeine compounded
with aspirin in some OTC pain relievers, ephedrine in OTC asthma medicines,
pseudoephedrine in OTC sinus decongestants and OTC appetite suppressants |
caffeine,
nicotine,
ephedrine, pseudoephedrine |
| Barbiturates |
general decrease in CNS arousal/excitability level;
used therapeutically for anesthetic, anticonvulsant, sedative, and
hypnotic effects |
thiopental,
secobarbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital |
| Minor Tranquilizers |
general decrease in CNS arousal/excitability level,
but low dose are somewhat selective for anxiety and much less sedative
than barbiturates; used therapeutically as anxiolytics, benzodiazepines
also as anesthetics and anticonvulsants |
includes two subclasses: benzodiazepines
(e.g.,. diazepam,
chlordiazepoxide, flunitrazepam [Rohypnol]) and muscle relaxants
(e.g., meprobamate) |
| Major
Tranquilizers (antipsychotics/ neuroleptics) |
general sedation at high doses, with selective antipsychotic
activity at lower doses; used therapeutically to treat schizophrenia
and other major psychotic disorders |
haloperidol, pimozide, flupenthixol, chlorpromazine,
spiroperidol, clozapine |
| Antidepressants |
no perceptible CNS effects in normals, but effectively
alleviate depression in many depressives; used therapeutically to
treat depression |
includes three subclasses: monoamine oxidase inhibitors
(e.g., pargyline), tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline,
desmethylimipramine), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs: e.g., sertaline) |
| Antimanic |
dampens extreme mood swings in some people; used to
treat manic-depressive (bipolar) disorders |
lithium |
| Alcohol |
general decrease in CNS arousal/excitability level;
no current therapeutic uses, but formerly used as an anesthetic and
a sedative |
ethyl alcohol (other alcohols have similar actions but
are associated with very toxic effects, e.g., methanol) |
| Volatile Anesthetics |
general decrease in CNS arousal/excitability level;
used therapeutically for anesthesia |
nitrous
oxide, halothane, ether |
| Volatile Solvents |
produce feelings of intoxication, can produce hallucinations
at high doses; no therapeutics uses (all can cause marked brain damage
in moderately low concentrations |
toluene, benzene, naphtha |
| Psychogenics |
produce altered states of consciousness; hallucinogenics
produce hallucinations sometimes reported as "mystic" experiences;
cannabinoids usually produce increased feelings of "well being"
and "mellow" intoxication; the "pleasantness" of the states produced
by both classes probably depends partially on expectancies; no approved
therapeutic uses, but cannabinoids are being increasingly used for
their antinausea, anxiolytic, and appetite-stimulating effects in
severely ill patients (e.g., AIDS) |
includes two subclasses: hallucinogenics (e.g.,
lysergic acid diethylaminde [LSD],
mescaline,
psilocybin)
and cannabinoids
(e.g., marijuana, hashish). |
| Stimulatory Hallucinogenics (cf. former psychotomimetics) |
produce a mixture of psychomotor stimulant and hallucinogenic
effects, depending on dose and other factors; no therapeutic uses,
except phencyclidine as a veterinary anesthetic |
MDMA
(ecstasy),
phencyclidine (PCP), ketamine
(?) |
Abbreviations: ADHD, attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder; AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome;
CNS, central nervous system; OTC, over-the-counter (nonprescription)
medicines.
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