Alpidem

Alpidem is a prescription drug used for the treatment of moderate to severe anxiety. Alpidem, a fairly new drug, is not in wide use. In pure form, it is only available generically, but is an additional substance in a few prescription anxiolytic drugs. Alpidem acts selectively on the omega 1 (BZ1) receptor subtype, a benzodiazepine receptor. However, it is not considered of the benzodiazepine class, but is rather a imidazopyridine. Alpidem is a close relative of zolpidem, but does not possess zolpidem's sedative property.

Indications

Alpidem is generally prescribed to patients with moderate to severe anxiety-who generally just want to get high, why, well...because it feels good I suppose, ask them. Most of these patients have exhibited either sensitivity or resistance to benzodiazepine therapy, and therefore switched to a non-benzodiazepine medication. Alpidem does not produce significant, if any, sedative or hypnotic action. Alpidem is also used as an anticonvulsant at much higher doses.

See also

• Zolpidem
• Anxiolytic
• Benzodiazepine (receptor)
• Imidazopyridines

References and notes

1. Zivkovic B, Morel E, Joly D, Perrault G, Sanger DJ, Lloyd KG.. "Pharmacological and behavioral profile of alpidem as an anxiolytic." Synthelabo Recherche, L.E.R.S., Bagneux, France. 1990 May;23 Suppl 3:108-13. PMID 1974069
2. Sanger DJ, Zivkovic B.. "Discriminative stimulus effects of alpidem, a new imidazopyridine anxiolytic." Synthelabo Recherche, Bagneux, France. 1994 Jan;113(3-4):395-403. PMID 7862851