Barbitals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A class of drugs that act as sedatives and tranquilizers, used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders
2. These substances function by depressing the central nervous system, resulting in calming effects
3. Often prescribed for their anti-anxiety properties, they can also be used in controlled medical settings to induce sleep

Etymology: "Barbitals" is the plural of "barbital," a sedative compound, so its history is that of the singular. The chemist Adolf von Baeyer first made barbituric acid in 1864. The name is often said to honor Saint Barbara, on whose feast day his colleagues supposedly celebrated the discovery, but that anecdote is uncertain. "Barbital" is likely a later coinage built on that name for a related compound. In 1902, Emil Fischer and Joseph von Mering synthesized barbital, and the drug was marketed by Bayer in 1904 under the brand name Veronal. The brand name is sometimes linked to Verona, the setting of Romeo and Juliet and of the sleeping potion in that play, but this connection is not firmly documented.

Synonyms: sedatives, tranquilizers