Zaleplon alcohol

Ator NA, Weerts EM, Kaminski BJ, et al Zaleplon and triazolam physical dependence assessed across increasing doses under a once-daily dosing regimen in baboons. Drug Alcohol Depend 61 69-84, 2000... 

The fundamental neurobiological importance of the GABA A receptor is underscored by observations that even more receptor sites exist at or near this complex (Fig. 8—20). This includes receptor sites for nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotics such as zolpidem and zaleplon, for the convulsant drug picrotoxin, for the anticonvulsant barbiturates, and perhaps even for alcohol. This receptor complex is hypothetically responsible in part for mediating such wide-ranging CNS activities as seizures, anticonvulsant drug effects, and the behavioral effects of alcohol, as well as the known anxiolytic, sedative-hypnotic, and muscle relaxant effects of the benzodiazepines. 

Pure zaleplon has very low solubility in water as well as low solubility in alcohol and propylene glycol. 

Zaleplon possesses several of the clinical characteristics of traditional benzodiazepines, including the potential for additive CNS depression when administered with alcohol or other CNS depressants, a low potential for abuse, and relative safety in overdose. Zaleplon exhibited sedative effects similar to those of the benzodiazepines, with a lower likelihood of such undesirable side effects as memory loss, interaction with alcohol, and abuse potential [22],... 

The addition of alcohol to the Z drugs, zaleplon, Zolpidem, and zopiclone, produces additive sedative effects without altering their pharmacokinetics (20). 

The effects of alcohol combined with either zaleplon or triazolam have been studied in 18 healthy volunteers (21). Triazolam, with and without ethanol, impaired digit symbol substitution, symbol copying, simple and complex reaction times, and divided attention performance compared with placebo. Zaleplon without ethanol impaired only digit symbol substitution and divided attention tracking, but when it was combined with ethanol all measures were impaired. However, zaleplon without ethanol was consistently better than triazolam alone. Zaleplon produced less performance impairment and a shorter period of ethanol potentiation than triazolam. 

Vermeeren A, Riedel WJ, van Boxtel MP, Darwish M, Paty I, Patat A. Differential residual effects of zaleplon and zopiclone on actual driving a comparison with a low dose of alcohol. Sleep 2002 25(2) 224-31. 

Overdosage Overdosage causes severe respiratory and cardiovascular depression these potentially lethal effects are more likely to occur with alcohols, barbiturates, and carbamates than with benzodiazepines. Management of intoxication requires maintenance of a patent airway and ventilatory support. Flumazenil may reverse CNS depressant effects of benzodiazepines, zolpidem, and zaleplon but has no beneficial actions in overdosage with other sedative-hypnotics. 

Symptoms of the alcohol withdrawal state may be alleviated by treatment with zaleplon... 

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