Fasiplon (RU 33203) is a
nonbenzodiazepine 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 ...
drug from the
imidazopyrimidine family of drugs.
Fasiplon binds strongly to benzodiazepine sites on the
GABAA receptor
Receptor may refer to:
* Sensory receptor, in physiology, any structure which, on receiving environmental stimuli, produces an informative nerve impulse
*Receptor (biochemistry), in biochemistry, a protein molecule that receives and responds to a ...
and has similar
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 ...
effects in animals, but with less
sedative or
muscle relaxant
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 therap ...
action.
It was developed by a team at
Roussel Uclaf
Roussel Uclaf S.A. was a French pharmaceutical company and one of several predecessor companies of today's Sanofi.
It was the second largest French pharmaceutical company before it was acquired by Hoechst AG of Frankfurt, Germany in 1997, with p ...
in the 1990s
[US Patent 5869481 Anticonvulsive 1-ar(alk)ylimidazolin-2-ones and process for making]
References
{{GABAAR PAMs
Sedatives
Imidazopyrimidines
Oxadiazoles
GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators