anxiolyticadj.n.
/ˌaŋ(k)sɪəˈlɪtɪk/, U.S. /ˌæŋ(k)siəˈlɪdɪk/ A. adj.
Esp. of a drug: that reduces anxiety. Also: of, relating to, or using such drugs.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > medicine for mental conditions > [adjective] > other psychotherapeutic drugs
anxiolytic1962
nootropic1972
1962 Electroencephalogr. & Clin. Neurophysiol. 14 780/2 Librium, or Ro 5-0690, is essentially an anxiolytic drug without hypnotic effect.
1984 Brit. National Formulary (Brit. Med. Assoc.) viii. 134/1 Anxiolytic treatment should be limited to short periods.
1998 Zest Sept. 101/3 She has produced anxiolytic (stress-reducing) music for these patients.
2008 Independent 13 May (Extra section) 11/4 Ro5-0690 became the first anxiolytic benzodiazepine.
B. n.
A drug or substance that reduces anxiety; spec. any of a class of drugs that reduce anxiety without producing significant sedation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines for specific purpose > medicine for mental conditions > [noun] > other psychotherapeutic drugs
leptazol1946
anxiolytic1963
nootropic1976
1963 tr. in Cumulative Index Medicus 1962 3 S 264/3 (title) Neuroleptics, tranquilizers, anxiolytics [Fr. anxiolytiques] and de-dramatizing agents.
1975 Canad. Mag. 8 Nov. 4/2 Liquor is western man's oldest anxiolytic.
1988 Times 18 Jan. 3/2 Benzodiazepines have replaced barbiturates as the most common type of ‘anxiolytics’ or ‘anxiety dissolving’ drugs.
1998 BBC Vegetarian Good Food Sept. 80/2 Recent clinical studies have shown kava to be a safe, non-addictive anxiolytic, comparable in efficacy to Valium.
2010 New Yorker 1 Mar. 72/2 These drugs were eclipsed in the nineteen-sixties by two other wildly popular anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs): Librium and Valium.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
<
adj.n.1962