BDZs, designer BDZs, and Z-drugs: pharmacology and misuse insights

Curr Pharm Des. 2021 Sep 17. doi: 10.2174/1381612827666210917145636. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBenzodiazepines (BZDs) are a widely prescribed class of sedative-hypnotics compounds for the treatment of a broad range of conditions as anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders, phobias, sleep related problems associated with insomnia and for the management of alcohol and GHB withdrawal. Zolpidem, zopiclone and zaleplon, commonly known as Z-drugs are non-benzodiazepine hypnotic drug with pharmacology similar to BDZs. Despite their usefulness, BDZs and Z-drugs present a potential for abuse and dependence. Moreover, the non-medical use of BDZs is a well-known phenomenon and represents an increasingly widespread public health problem since is associated with an elevated risk of serious health consequences or fatal overdose, especially among specific group of users. The spectrum of BDZs and Z-drugs misuse is extended by new synthetic BDZs, which may pose high risks to users, since the majority have never undergone clinical trials or tests and consequently their pharmacology and toxicology is largely unknown.PMID:34533440 | DOI:10.2174/1381612827666210917145636
Source: Current Pharmaceutical Design - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Source Type: research