Editing Sedative (section)

==Terminology==
There is some overlap between the terms "sedative" and "hypnotic".

Advances in pharmacology have permitted more specific targeting of receptors, and greater selectivity of agents, which necessitates greater precision when describing these agents and their effects:
* "[[Anxiolytic]]" refers specifically to the effect upon [[anxiety]]. (However, some [[benzodiazepines]] can be all three: sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics).
* "Tranquiliser" can refer to anxiolytics or [[antipsychotic]]s.

=== "Chemical cosh" ===
The term "chemical [[club (weapon)|cosh]]" (''cosh'' being a term for a blunt weapon such as a club) is sometimes used colloquially for a strong sedative, particularly for:
* Widespread dispensation of [[antipsychotic|antipsychotic drugs]] in residential care to make people with [[dementia]] easier to manage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/8086614/Chemical-cosh-will-be-cut-for-dementia-sufferers.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101028225208/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/elderhealth/8086614/Chemical-cosh-will-be-cut-for-dementia-sufferers.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 October 2010|title='Chemical cosh' will be cut for dementia sufferers|date=25 October 2010|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=12 September 2015|last1=Smith|first1=Rebecca}}</ref>

===Types of sedatives===
{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
* [[Barbiturate]]s
** [[Amobarbital]]
** [[Benzylbutylbarbiturate]]
** [[Butalbital]] (Fioricet)
** [[Butabarbital]] (Butasol)
** [[Cyclobarbitol]] ([[combination drug]] with 10mg [[diazepam]], available in Russia as ''Reladorm'' until it was discontinued in 2019
** [[Pentobarbital]] (Nembutal)
** [[Phenobarbital]] (Luminal)
** [[Secobarbital]] (Seconal)
** [[Sodium thiopental]] (Pentothal)
* [[Benzodiazepine]]s
** [[Alprazolam]] (Xanax)
** [[Bromazepam]] (Lexomil)
** [[Chlordiazepoxide]] (Librium)
** [[Clobazam]] (Frisium, Onfi)
** [[Clonazepam]] (Klonopin, Rivotril)
** [[Clorazepate]] (Tranxene)
** [[Diazepam]] (Valium)
** [[Estazolam]] (Prosom)
** [[Etizolam]] (Etizex, Etizest)
** [[Flunitrazepam]] (Rohypnol, "[[roofies]]")
** [[Lorazepam]] (Ativan)
** [[Midazolam]] (Versed)
** [[Nitrazepam]] (Mogadon)
** [[Oxazepam]] (Serax)
** [[Temazepam]] (Restoril)
** [[Triazolam]] (Halcion)
* [[Nonbenzodiazepine]]s
** [[Eszopiclone]] (Lunesta)
** [[Zaleplon]] (Sonata)
** [[Zolpidem]] (Ambien)
** [[Zopiclone]] (Imovane)
* [[Orexin antagonists]]
** [[Daridorexant]] (Quviviq)
** [[Lemborexant]] (Dayvigo)
** [[Suvorexant]] (Belsomra)
* [[Antihistamine|First-generation antihistamines]]
** [[Brompheniramine]] (Dimetapp, Bromfed)
** [[Captodiame]]
** [[Chlorpheniramine]]
** [[Clemastine]]
** [[Cyproheptadine]] (Periactin)
** [[Diphenhydramine]] (Benadryl, DPH)
** [[Doxylamine]] (Unisom)
** [[Hydroxyzine]] (Atarax, Vistaril)
** [[Promethazine]] (Phenergan)
**[[Pyrilamine]]
* [[General anaesthetic]]s
** [[Chloral hydrate]]
** [[Chlorobutanol]]
** [[Chloroform]]
** [[Cyclopropane]]
** [[Desflurane]]
** [[Diethyl ether]]
** [[Enflurane]]
** [[Esketamine]] (Spravato, Ketanest)
** [[Ethyl chloride]]
** [[Etomidate]] (Amidate)
** [[Isoflurane]] (Forane)
** [[Halothane]] (Fluothane)
** [[Ketamine]] (Ketalar)
** [[Methoxyflurane]] (Penthrox)
** [[Nitrous oxide]] ("Laughing gas")
** [[Phencyclidine]] (PCP)
** [[Propofol]] (Diprivan)
** [[Sevoflurane]] (Sevorane)
** [[Xenon]]
* Herbal sedatives
** [[Calea ternifolia]]
** [[Cannabis (drug)|Cannabis]] ("Marijuana")
** [[Chamomile]]
** [[Duboisia hopwoodii]]
** [[Kava]] (Piper methysticum)
** [[Lemon balm]]
** [[Maypop|Passiflora spp.(passiflora incarnata)]]
** [[Nepeta]]
** [[Physochlaina]] - notably P. infundibularis
** [[Prostanthera|Prostanthera striatiflora]]
** [[Valerian (herb)|Valerian]]
* Methaqualone and analogues
** [[Afloqualone]]
** [[Cloroqualone]]
** [[Diproqualone]]
** [[Etaqualone]]
** [[Mebroqualone]]
** [[Mecloqualone]]
** [[Methaqualone]] (Quaalude, "ludes")
** [[Methylmethaqualone]]
** [[Nitromethaqualone]]
* Skeletal [[muscle relaxants]]
** [[Baclofen]] (Lioresal)
** [[Carisoprodol]] (Soma)
** [[Chlorzoxazone]]
** [[Clonidine]] (Catapres, Kapvay)
** [[Cyclobenzaprine]]
** [[Gabapentin]] (Neurontin)
** [[Meprobamate]] (Miltown, Equanil)
** [[Metaxalone]] (Skelaxin)
** [[Methocarbamol]] (Robaxin)
** [[Orphenadrine]]
** [[Phenibut]]
** [[Pregabalin]] (Lyrica)
** [[Tizanidine]] (Zanaflex)
* [[Opioids]]
** [[Alfentanil]]
** [[Carfentanil]]
** [[Codeine]]
** [[Diacetylmorphine]] (formerly legal OTC as ''Bayer [[Heroin]]'')
** [[Fentanyl]] (Duragesic)
** [[Hydrocodone]]
** [[Hydromorphone]] (Dilaudid)
** [[Meperidine]] (Demerol)
** [[Methadone]] (Dolophine, Methadose)
** [[Morphine]]
** [[Opium]]
** [[Oxycodone]] (Roxicodone, OxyContin)
** [[Oxymorphone]] (Numorphan, Opana)
** [[Propoxyphene]]
** [[Remifentanil]]
** [[Sufentanil]]
** [[Tapentadol]]
** [[Tramadol]] (Ultram)
* [[Neurosteroid#Inhibitory neurosteroids|Neurosteroids]]
** [[Allopregnanolone]]
** [[Ganaxolone]]
** [[Hydroxydione]]
** [[Zuranolone]]
* [[Antidepressant]]s
** [[Amoxapine]]
** [[Clomipramine]] (Anafranil)
** [[Desipramine]] (Norpramin)
** [[Doxepin]]
** [[Imipramine]] (Tofranil)
** [[Mirtazapine]] (Remeron)
** [[Nefazodone]]
** [[Nortriptyline]] (Pamelor)
** [[Trazodone]] (Desyrel)
** [[Trimipramine]] (Surmontil)
* [[Antipsychotic]]s
** [[Asenapine]] (Saphris)
** [[Clozapine]]
** [[Fluphenazine]]
** [[Haloperidol]] (Haldol)
** [[Loxapine]]
** [[Olanzapine]] (Zyprexa)
** [[Prochlorperazine]]
** [[Pimozide]] (Orap)
** [[Quetiapine]] (Seroquel)
** [[Thiothixene]]
** [[Trifluoperazine]]
** [[Ziprasidone]] (Geodon)
* Orally active alcohols
** [[2-methyl-2-butanol]] (2M2B)
** [[Alcohol (drug)|Ethanol]] ("Alcohol")
** [[Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid]] (GHB)
* Others
** [[Bromide]] salts (like [[potassium bromide]])
** [[Caleicine]]
** [[Dexmedetomidine]]
** [[Dextromethorphan]] (Robitussin, DXM)
** [[Ethchlorvynol]] (Placidyl, voluntarily discontinued by [[Abbott Laboratories|Abbott]] in 1999, Schedule IV [[prescription drug]] in the U.S.
** [[Glutethimide]] (Doriden, discontinued in the U.S. by [[Ciba Specialty Chemicals|Ciba]] in 1993, but remains Schedule II and theoretically can be prescribed
** [[Methyprylon]] (Noludar), [[soporific|sleeping pill]]
** [[Thalidomide]]}}