Major General James G. Blunt

Arfendazam (INN)[1] is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. Arfendazam is a 1,5-benzodiazepine, with the nitrogen atoms located at positions 1 and 5 of the diazepine ring, and so is most closely related to other 1,5-benzodiazepines such as clobazam.

Arfendazam has sedative and anxiolytic effects similar to those produced by other benzodiazepine derivatives, but is a partial agonist at GABAA receptors, so the sedative effects are relatively mild and it produces muscle relaxant effects only at very high doses.[2][3]

Arfendazam produces an active metabolite lofendazam, which is thought to be responsible for part of its effects.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "International Nonproprietary Names for Pharmaceutical Substances. Proposed International Nonproprietary Names (Prop. INN): List 39. Supplement to WHO Chronicle" (PDF). World Health Organization. March 1978. p. 3. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  2. ^ Mueller E (January 1985). "Benzodiazepine receptor interactions of arfendazam, a novel 1, 5-benzodiazepine". Pharmacopsychiatry. 18 (1): 10–1. doi:10.1055/s-2007-1017288. S2CID 144951247.
  3. ^ Müller WE, Groh B, Bub O (July 1986). "In vitro and in vivo studies of the mechanism of action of arfendazam, a novel 1, 5-benzodiazepine". Pharmacopsychiatry. 19 (4): 314–315. doi:10.1055/s-2007-1017251. S2CID 143919337.
  4. ^ Adrien J, Albani F, Baruzzi A, Berger M, Bixler EO, Borbeley AA, Dikeos DG, Drucker-Colin R, Montero RF, Hishikawa Y, Inoue S (December 2012). The Pharmacology of Sleep. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-3-540-58961-7.