Definition

Noun: - A medicinal preparation used primarily to treat diarrhea: Paregoric is a camphorated tincture of opium, historically used as an anti-diarrheal and pain-relieving medicine. It acts by slowing intestinal movement.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The doctor prescribed paregoric to control the patient's severe diarrhea.
  • In the 19th century, paregoric was a common household remedy for stomach ailments.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Medical Context: Paregoric is an archaic term for a specific formulation that is now largely obsolete in modern medicine due to the controlled nature of its opioid component (opium).
  • Paregoric is mentioned in historical medical texts as an anodyne for abdominal pain.

Variants and Related Words

• Tincture of Opium: A more general term for the medicinal preparation from which paregoric is derived.
• Camphorated Tincture of Opium: The full technical name for paregoric.

Synonyms

• Anti-diarrheal: A general term for medicines that treat diarrhea.
• Anodyne: (Archaic) A pain-relieving medicine, which describes one of paregoric's historical uses.

Notes on Usage

• Important: Paregoric contains opium and is a controlled substance. Its use is highly regulated, and it has been largely replaced by safer, non-opioid medications. The term is primarily encountered in historical or specific medical contexts.

Noun

1. medicine used to treat diarrhea