1. A synthetic chemical compound (pentylenetetrazol) formerly used in medicine as a circulatory and respiratory stimulant and in psychiatric treatment.
Usage: medical/pharmaceutical; largely historical; use has declined significantly since the mid-20th century

Examples

• Metrazol was once administered to patients with circulatory shock to stimulate breathing and heart rate.
• In the 1930s and 1940s, metrazol was used experimentally in psychiatric hospitals as a convulsant therapy.
• The use of metrazol in clinical practice has been largely superseded by safer, more effective medications.
• Metrazol's mechanism of action involves stimulation of the central nervous system.
• Historical medical records document the administration of metrazol to treat various conditions.