Zaleplon chemical structure
Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Zaleplon

Zaleplon (Sonata®/Starnoc®) is a sedative/hypnotic, mainly used for insomnia. It is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic from the pyrazolopyrimidine class. more...

Home
Diseases
Medicines
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Zafirlukast
Zagam
Zalcitabine
Zaleplon
Zanaflex
Zanamivir
Zantac
Zarontin
Zelnorm
Zerit
Zestoretic
Zestril
Zetia
Zevalin
Ziagen
Zidovudine
Zileuton
Ziprasidone
Zithromax
Zocor
Zofran
Zoladex
Zoledronic acid
Zolmitriptan
Zoloft
Zolpidem
Zometa
Zomig
Zonegran
Zonisamide
Zopiclone
Zosyn
Zovia
Zovirax
Zyban
Zymar
Zyprexa
Zyrtec
Zyvox

Chemistry

Zaleplon is a white to off-white powder that has very low solubility in water as well as low solubility in alcohol and propylene glycol. It has a partition coefficient in octanol/water is constant (log PC = 1.23) when the pH range is between 1 and 7.

Mode of action

Taken orally, Zaleplon reaches full concentration in approximately one hour. It is extensively metabolised, into 5-oxo-zaleplon and 5-oxo-desethylzaleplon (the latter via desethylzaleplon), with less than 1% of it excreted intact in urine.

Zaleplon interacts with the GABA receptor complex and shares some of the pharmacological properties of the benzodiazepines. Although not a benzodiazepine, Zaleplon can cause similar effects: anterograde amnesia (forgetting the period during the effects) as the most common.

Zaleplon is primarily metabolised by aldehyde oxidase, and its half-life can be affected by substances which inhibit or induce aldehyde oxidase.

Side-effects

Zaleplon may cause hallucinations, abnormal behavior, severe confusion, day-time drowsiness, dizziness or lightheadedness, unsteadiness and/or falls, double vision or other vision problems, agitation, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal pain, depression, muscle weakness, tremor, vivid or abnormal dreams and memory difficulties or amnesia.

Zaleplon is habit-forming, meaning addiction may occur. Stopping this medication suddenly after prolonged or frequent use may cause withdrawal effects such as mood changes, anxiety, and restlessness.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Zaleplon for Insomnia
From American Family Physician, 10/15/99

The U.S Food and Drug Administration has approved zaleplon (Sonata) for the short-term treatment of adults with insomnia. Zaleplon is a nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic, the first in a new class of drugs called pyrazolopyrimidine. It has a unique mechanism of action that allows for flexible administration.

In clinical trials involving more than 2,800 persons, including persons ranging in age from 65 to 85 years, zaleplon was shown to be effective in helping the subjects fall asleep within 30 minutes. The medication was not associated with memory loss, difficulty concentrating or lack of motor coordination four hours after dosing.

Zaleplon has a short half-life of approximately one hour. It can be administered as needed, such as immediately before going to bed or after a patient has gone to bed and has experienced difficulty falling asleep, provided the patient remains in bed for at least four hours before becoming active again. If patients take zaleplon while still active, they may experience short-term memory impairment, hallucinations, impaired coordination, dizziness and light-headedness.

The most common side effects in the clinical trials were headache, drowsiness and dizziness. None of these were significantly different from those in subjects receiving a placebo.

The recommended dose for most adults under 65 years of age is one 10-mg capsule; for elderly patients, the recommended dose is one 5-mg capsule.

COPYRIGHT 1999 American Academy of Family Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

Return to Zaleplon
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay