Etaqualone (Aolan, Athinazone, Ethinazone) is a

quinazolinone Quinazolinone is a heterocyclic chemical compound, a quinazoline with a carbonyl group in the C4N2 ring. Two isomers are possible: 2-quinazolinone and 4-quinazolinone, with the 4-isomer being the more common. These compounds are of interest in med ...

-class

GABAergic In molecular biology and physiology, something is GABAergic or GABAnergic if it pertains to or affects the neurotransmitter GABA. For example, a synapse is GABAergic if it uses GABA as its neurotransmitter, and a GABAergic neuron produces GABA. A ...

and is an analogue of methaqualone that was developed in the 1960s and marketed mainly in France and some other European countries. It has

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are CNS depressants and interact with brain activity causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives can be distinguished, but t ...

hypnotic Hypnotic (from Greek ''Hypnos'', sleep), or soporific drugs, commonly known as sleeping pills, are a class of (and umbrella term for) psychoactive drugs whose primary function is to induce sleep (or surgical anesthesiaWhen used in anesthesia ...

, muscle relaxant and central nervous system depressant properties resulting from its agonist activity at the β-subtype of the GABA_A receptor, and was used for the treatment of

insomnia Insomnia, also known as sleeplessness, is a sleep disorder in which people have trouble sleeping. They may have difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep as long as desired. Insomnia is typically followed by daytime sleepiness, low energy, ...

. The dosage and effects are reported to be similar to those of methaqualone, but shorter acting and slightly weaker. Typical reports use between 50 and 500 mg of etaqualone, depending on desired effects. Old pharmaceutical formulations of Ethinazone were 350 mg tablets. Etaqualone is thought to act in a similar way to barbiturates and benzodiazepines by increasing the sensitivity of GABA_A receptors . Recreational effects include euphoria, relaxation, increased sociability and sexuality, reduction of short-term memory, and loss of coordination. Combination with other depressants has a potentiating effect and can cause overdose. Tolerance to benzodiazepines or alcohol will also reduce effects. Ethaqualone can be present as a free base, insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol and nonpolar solvents, or as a water-soluble hydrochloride salt which is about 85% as potent as the freebase by weight. The most common route of administration of etaqualone is oral, but snorting the salt or smoking the free base have also been reported.

References

Sedatives Quinazolinones Designer drugs GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators {{sedative-stub

See also

References