Alcohol is classified as a depressant. Alcohol produces some of its effects by depressing various brain functions.
Alcohol is also a chemical solvent, a local anesthetic, and an irritant.
Many of alcohol's side effects are due to these actions rather than to the sedative effect of the agent. Alcohol is found in many different beverages and also in many prescription and nonprescription medications. Alcohol in low doses causes suppression of inhibitory centers and produces apparent stimulation while impairment of abstract thinking lessens anxiety. At moderate doses, alcohol can cause drowsiness, slowed reflexes and incoordination. In large amounts, alcohol decreases vital brain functions, produces sedation, slows the breathing rate, and can cause death.