Chemical classes of psychoactive drugs

thumb|class=skin-invert-image|Barbituric acid, the [[parent structure of all barbiturates]]

Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), colloquially known as "benzos", are a class of central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed to treat conditions such as anxiety disorders, insomnia, and seizures. The first benzodiazepine, chlordiazepoxide (Librium), was discovered accidentally by Leo Sternbach in 1955, and was made available in 1960 by Hoffmann–La Roche, which followed with the development of diazepam (Valium) three years later, in 1963. By 1977, benzodiazepines were the most prescribed med

chemical compounds used primarily as antidepressants

any chemical compound that is a substituted amphetamine (1-phenylpropane-2-amine)

class of pharmaceutical drugs

thumb|105px|class=skin-invert-image|2-Pyrrolidone thumb|105px|class=skin-invert-image|Piracetam

thumb|right|150px|class=skin-invert-image|The lysergamide core, with common substitution positions denoted.

class of chemical compounds

any chemical compound having a 2-phenylethylamine as a part of the structure

thumb|right|222px|class=skin-invert-image|Skeletal formula of the parent compound, cyclopyrrolone Cyclopyrrolones are a family of hypnotic and anxiolytic nonbenzodiazepine drugs with similar pharmacological profiles to the benzodiazepine derivatives.

class=skin-invert-image|thumb|upright|Phencyclidine, the prototypical arylcyclohexylamine derivative. Arylcyclohexylamines, also known as arylcyclohexamines or arylcyclohexanamines, are a chemical class of pharmaceutical, designer, and experimental drugs.

[[File:Core structure of imidazopyridines.svg|thumb|right|upright=1|class=skin-invert-image|alt=Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine—an example of imidazopyridine and a core structure of zolpidem and some compounds described below.|Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine—an example of imidazopyridine and a core structure of zolpidem and some compounds described below.]]

class of chemical compounds

right|thumb|251px|class=skin-invert-image|Base chemical structure of the diphenylbutylpiperidine antipsychotics.

class of indoles

Pyrazolopyrimidines are a series of isomeric heterocyclic chemical compounds with the molecular formula C6H5N3. They form the central core of a variety of more complex chemical compounds including some pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

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