Which drug is a true anxiolytic?

• A. Acepromazine
• B. Benzodiazepine
• C. Alpha-2 agonist
• D. Opioid

Answer: (B)

A true anxiolytic acts mainly to reduce anxiety and fear without relying on heavy sedation or other primary effects, by dampening the brain’s fear circuits. Benzodiazepines do this by enhancing GABA-A receptor activity, which increases inhibitory effects in the CNS. At anxiolytic doses, they lessen fear, worry, and stress responses during handling or procedures while preserving enough responsiveness to be safe, and they often cause only mild sedation. This makes them the go-to true anxiolytic in fear-free protocols.

Acepromazine, while it sedates and tranquilizes, does not specifically reduce anxiety in a reliable, targeted way and can blunt coping or cause undesirable hemodynamic effects. Alpha-2 agonists provide sedation and analgesia and can blunt sympathetic responses, but their significant cardiovascular effects and other side effects prevent them from being considered true anxiolytics. Opioids offer analgesia and some sedation but are not classified as primary anxiolytics and carry risks such as dysphoria and respiratory depression.

So, among these options, the benzodiazepine best fits the idea of a true anxiolytic.