Definition

Relating to the state of increased activity of the vagus nerve, which can affect bodily functions such as heart rate and digestion.

Example

The vagotonic effects of the medication helped to calm the patient's heart rate.

Conversation

I read that certain foods can have a vagotonic effect on our bodies.

Really? I didn't know that; which foods are you talking about?

Things like bananas and dark chocolate are supposed to help with that.

That sounds interesting! I’ll definitely try to include more of those in my diet.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Vagotonic → It is formed from "vago-" (from Latin "vagus", meaning wandering or vagabond) and "tonic" (from Greek "tonikos", meaning relating to tension or tone). The word "vagotonic" refers to something that has a stimulating effect on the vagus nerve, which is associated with the wandering nature of its pathways in the body.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'wandering' nature of the vagus nerve ('vago-') and how it relates to 'tone' or 'tension' ('tonic') in the body. This helps you remember that vagotonic refers to something that stimulates the vagus nerve.

Visually Confused Words