3-Hydroxyphenazepam is a
benzodiazepine with
hypnotic,
sedative,
anxiolytic
An anxiolytic (; also antipanic or antianxiety agent) is a medication or other intervention that reduces anxiety. This effect is in contrast to anxiogenic agents which increase anxiety. Anxiolytic medications are used for the treatment of anxiet ...
, and
anticonvulsant properties.
It is an
active metabolite An active metabolite is an active form of a drug after it has been processed by the body.
Metabolites of drugs
An active metabolite results when a drug is metabolized by the body into a modified form which continues to produce effects in the body ...
of
phenazepam,
as well as the active metabolite of the benzodiazepine
prodrug cinazepam.
Relative to phenazepam, 3-hydroxyphenazepam has diminished
myorelaxant
A muscle relaxant is a drug that affects skeletal muscle function and decreases the muscle tone. It may be used to alleviate symptoms such as muscle spasms, pain, and hyperreflexia. The term "muscle relaxant" is used to refer to two major therapeu ...
properties, but is about equivalent in most other regards.
Like other benzodiazepines, 3-hydroxyphenazepam behaves as a
positive allosteric modulator
In pharmacology and biochemistry, allosteric modulators are a group of substances that bind to a receptor to change that receptor's response to stimulus. Some of them, like benzodiazepines, are drugs. The site that an allosteric modulator binds to ...
of the
benzodiazepine site
The GABAA receptor (GABAAR) is an ionotropic receptor and ligand-gated ion channel. Its endogenous ligand is γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Upon opening, the GABAA receptor o ...
of the
GABAA receptor with an EC
50 value of 10.3 nM.
It has been sold online as a
designer drug
A designer drug is a structural or functional analog of a controlled substance that has been designed to mimic the pharmacological effects of the original drug, while avoiding classification as illegal and/or detection in standard drug tests. D ...
.
See also
*
Lorazepam
Lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan among others, is a benzodiazepine medication. It is used to treat anxiety disorders, trouble sleeping, severe agitation, active seizures including status epilepticus, alcohol withdrawal, and c ...
, licensed medication
*
Nifoxipam
Nifoxipam (3-hydroxydesmethylflunitrazepam, DP 370) is a benzodiazepine that is a minor metabolite of flunitrazepam and has been sold online as a designer drug.
Nifoxipam produces strong tranquillising and sleep-prolonging effects and has much l ...
*
Nitemazepam
References
Hypnotics
Anticonvulsants
Sedatives
Anxiolytics
Benzodiazepines
GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators
Chloroarenes
Bromoarenes
Human drug metabolites
Designer drugs
Lactims
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