Antianxiety drugs Benzodiazepines Tranquilizers

Tranquilizers (also called antianxiety drugs) are used to treat a variety of psychiatric disorders which go along with anxiety (anxiety disorders). Serotonin-reuptake inhibitors and the benzodiazepines are the most commonly employed drugs for the treatment of common clinical anxiety disorders. 

Benzodiazepines are also known as minor tranquilizers. Not as potent or dangerous as barbiturates, the benzodiazepines do find use as antianxiety drugs because of their safety and efficacy. In higher doses they will also induce sleep. All benzodiazepines cause a dose-... 

Synonyms Minor tranquilizers Antianxiety drugs Sedative-hypnotics Benzodiazepines (BZDs)... 

Roche converted 2-amino-5-chlorobenzophenone (147) into the first benzodiazepine antianxiety agent, chlorodiazepoxide (148) (Scheme 30). The ring enlargement was unexpected, and was soon incorporated into similar products. The same intermediate, 147, is the starting point for diazepam (149), and provides one of two routes to oxazepam (150) discovered at Wyeth (Scheme 31)82. The full range of benzodiazepines exceeds fifteen different drugs used as tranquillizers, and in some case as hypnotics. 

Virtually all known 1,4-benzodiazepines have the same profile of broad pharmacological activity, including antianxiety, sedative-hypnotic, anticonvulsant, muscle-relaxing actions and tranquilizing properties. The benzodiazepines are also well absorbed after oral administration. Many benzodiazepine drugs bind extensively to plasma and tissue proteins. The use of benzodiazepine in therapeutic applications has increased exponentially over the past 20 years. Benzodiazepines are now the most commonly prescribed group of drugs. 

Benzodiazepines. Librium and VaHum were first iutroduced for their muscle relaxant activity, but became widely used for their antianxiety (minor tranquilizer) activity. The benzodiazepines bind to a drug receptor which modulates the binding of GABA to its receptor (100). Diazepam [439-14-5] (Valium), C gH 2ClN20, (3) is used as a premedicant to anesthesia to lessen preoperative anxiety and to prevent recall of the operative procedure. Midazolam [59467-70-8] (Versed) (4) a water soluble benzodiazepine having a shorter duration of action than diazepam (101),... 

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