Generality
"Tanquillanti" is a rather generic term, which is usually used to indicate a group of drugs designed to restore calm, calming patients who suffer from certain pathologies, such as anxiety and psychosis.
- Minor tranquilizers, used in the treatment of anxiety;
- Major tranquilizers, used in the treatment of various forms of psychosis.
Regardless of the type of tranquilizers, these drugs can be dispensed only upon presentation of a prescription and their use must be carried out only and exclusively under the strict supervision of the physician, as part of a well-defined therapeutic strategy.
Minor tranquilizers
When we talk about minor tranquilizers, we refer to the drugs used in the treatment of anxiety disorders, such as: generalized anxiety disorders, panic attacks, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorders.
Therefore, the term "minor tranquilizers" is used as a synonym for "anxiolytic drugs".
In the group of minor tranquilizers we find active ingredients belonging to different classes of drugs which will be briefly described below.
However, for more detailed information on this, we recommend reading the article dedicated to "Anxiolytics - Anxiolytic drugs".
Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are certainly the minor tranquilizers mostly used in the treatment of anxiety disorders of various origins and nature.
Benzodiazepines exert their anxiolytic action through the activation of the GABA-A receptor for γ-aminobutyric acid.
Although they are considered relatively safe tranquilizers, benzodiazepines can give rise to side effects, such as: daytime sleepiness, excessive sedation, ataxia, depression, anterograde amnesia, tolerance, dependence and addiction.
The active ingredients belonging to this class of drugs include lorazepam, diazepam and clonazepam.
5-HT1A receptor agonists
Among the active ingredients belonging to this class of tranquilizing drugs, we find the buspirone, the gepirone and the ipapirone.
The aforementioned minor tranquilizers exert their anxiolytic action through the interaction and activation of the 5-HT1A type serotonin receptors.
Among the main side effects that can occur after taking these drugs, we mention: nausea, dizziness and headache. Unlike benzodiazepines, however, these medicines do not cause tolerance or dependence.
Selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (or SSRIs) are drugs that are normally used to treat depression. However, some active ingredients belonging to this class of drugs also have interesting anxiolytic properties and, for this reason, they are also used in the treatment of anxiety disorders. These include fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, citalopram and sertraline.
Among the main undesirable effects that these tranquilizers can cause, we mention: diarrhea, nausea and sexual dysfunction.
Greater tranquilizers
As mentioned, the major tranquilizers are used in the treatment of various types of psychosis. Therefore, when we talk about major tranquilizers, we refer to the well-known antipsychotic drugs, otherwise known as neuroleptic drugs.
Among the various forms of psychosis most known, and which can be treated with major tranquilizers, we mention schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, short, shared or delusional psychotic disorders and substance-induced psychotic disorder.
Types of major tranquilizers
To the group of major tranquilizers belong several active ingredients, which can be classified according to their chemical structure. We can therefore distinguish:
- Phenotiazines with antipsychotic action (it is important to specify the type of action performed, since the class of phenothiazines includes both molecules with antipsychotic action and molecules with antihistamine action). This group of phenothiazines includes active ingredients such as perphenazine, fluphenazine and chlorpromazine.
- Butyrrophenones, among which we find haloperidol, droperidol and spiperone.
- Benzazepine derivatives, including active ingredients defined as atypical antipsychotics, among which we find: quetiapine, olanzapine and clozapine.
- Benzamide derivatives . To this group belongs the sulpiride, another atypical antipsychotic.
Action mechanism
The mechanism of action by which major tranquilizers exert their antipsychotic activity is common to all classes of drugs mentioned above.
More in detail, these active ingredients act by antagonizing the D2 type dopamine receptors.
Furthermore, benzazepine derivatives and butyrophenones also interact with serotonin type 5-HT2 receptors.
Side effects
The main side effects that can occur after taking the major tranquilizers are:
- Hypotension;
- Sedation;
- Vision disorders;
- Bladder disorders;
- Sexual dysfunctions;
- Extrapyramidal symptoms (tremors, muscle stiffness, akathisia, bradykinesia, dystonia, etc.);
- Malignant neuroleptic syndrome.
However, it should be noted that atypical antipsychotics cause extrapyramidal side effects to a much lesser extent than typical antipsychotics.
However, to get more information on major tranquilizers, see the dedicated article already on this site "Antipsychotics - Antipsychotic Drugs".
