noun
- Plural of phencyclidine; synthetic drugs that act as dissociative anesthetics and are commonly abused as recreational drugs.
Usage: medical/pharmacological term; often abbreviated as PCP; controlled substance in most countries
Examples
- Phencyclidines were originally developed as veterinary anesthetics in the 1950s.
- The abuse of phencyclidines can cause severe psychological and physical effects.
- Law enforcement agencies monitor the illegal production and distribution of phencyclidines.
- Phencyclidines are classified as Schedule II controlled substances in the United States.
- Medical researchers have studied phencyclidines to understand their mechanism of action on the brain.