Tracazolate (ICI-136,753) is an

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 anxie ...

drug A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via inhal ...

which is used in scientific research. It is a

pyrazolopyridine The pyrazolopyridines are a group of drugs investigated as anxiolytics which act as positive allosteric modulators of the GABAA receptor via the barbiturate binding site. They include the following compounds: * Cartazolate (SQ-65,396) * Eta ...

derivative In mathematics, the derivative of a function of a real variable measures the sensitivity to change of the function value (output value) with respect to a change in its argument (input value). Derivatives are a fundamental tool of calculus. ...

, most closely related to

pyrazolopyrimidine Pyrazolopyrimidines are a series of isomeric heterocyclic chemical compounds with the molecular formula C6H5N3. They form the central core of a variety of more complex chemical compounds including some pharmaceuticals and pesticides. Pharmaceut ...

drugs such as

zaleplon Zaleplon, sold under the brand names Sonata among others, is a sedative-hypnotic, used to treat insomnia. It is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic from the pyrazolopyrimidine class. It is manufactured by King Pharmaceuticals and Gedeon Richter Plc. ...

, and is one of a structurally diverse group of drugs known as the

nonbenzodiazepine Nonbenzodiazepines (), sometimes referred to colloquially as Z-drugs (as many of their names begin with the letter "z"), are a class of psychoactive drugs that are very benzodiazepine-like in nature. They are used in the treatment of sleep proble ...

s which act at the same receptor targets as

benzodiazepine Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), sometimes called "benzos", are a class of depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed to treat conditions such as anxiety disorders, ...

s but have distinct chemical structures. Tracazolate has primarily

and

anticonvulsant Anticonvulsants (also known as antiepileptic drugs or recently as antiseizure drugs) are a diverse group of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used in the treatment of ...

effects, with

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 ...

and

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 therape ...

effects only appearing at higher doses. It has a unique receptor binding profile involving allosteric modulation of several GABA_A receptor subtypes, being selective for GABA_A receptors containing α1 and β3 subunits, but exhibiting different effects depending on the third type of subunit making up the receptor complex.

References

{{Phosphodiesterase inhibitors Adenosine receptor antagonists Anticonvulsants Anxiolytics Carboxylate esters Ethyl esters GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators Pyrazolopyridines Butyl compounds

See also

References