[tommy000]

 i dont know much about benzos. but i read this drug book that was from the 80's. ne way valium. clonazepam and ativan were all in there. i didnt realize that these drugs were that old! how come no new benzos have been made? there are always new antipsychotics and antidepressants coming out but no new benzos? 

This post has been edited by tommy000: 15 March 2010 - 10:42 PM

[notfred]

There are quite a few benzos, I got this list from Wikipedia. I suspect there are enough benzos of differing attributes that a new benzo would not be successful. All the benzos are chemically related whereas AD's and AP's are not. Just realized this list is missing Dalmane (Flurazepam).


* Benzodiazepines (trade names)
o clonazepam (Klonopin N.America Rivotril Europe, Asia )
o diazepam (Valium)
o estazolam (Prosom)
o flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)
o lorazepam (Ativan)
o midazolam (Versed)
o nitrazepam (Mogadon)
o oxazepam (Serax)
o triazolam (Halcion)
o temazepam (Restoril, Normison, Planum, Tenox, and Temaze)
o chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
o alprazolam (Xanax)

[dianthus]

i don't know that there's any clinical need to justify research into them.

the hypnotic sleep meds are somewhat in some ways related to benzos in terms of what they do, and that's where more recent research has happened.

my guesses anyway.

[SashaSue]

With so many benzos on the market already, in cheap generic formulations, there wouldn't likely be much money in a new benzo, so the drug companies aren't likely to be making any.

[Hank67]

There are, however, new medications with similar biochemical behavior like the lyrica medication which acts a lot like a benzodiazepine just might have less addiction/abuse problems (hopefully! =))

[Spencer]

I think the main point one would have to emphasize is getting a new drug approved is quite expensive, and I'm sure the people with the job of deciding which of the hundreds of benzos that have already been discovered know that the prescribing trend that was prevelant in the 70's, 80's... 90's has been the victim of a complete 180; in other words these drug companies know that doctors don't like prescribing them nearly as much as they used to. While that is obvious, keeping my ear to the ground, as it were, I have begun to sense a change in the way MD's view benzos... My psychiatrist recently called doctors who flat out refuse to prescribe benzos as being self-righteous, holier than thou types. We'll see. Lyrica shows some promise as a replacement for benzos, for some people; it's used for such purposes more so in Europe than in the US.

Also, the list of benzos available in the US really is shameful. As far as benzos go, there are only several that could be described as worthy of being our only choices. Who the fuck takes oxazepam or Librium unless they're coming off a pint or two of vodka a day? (Rhetorical).

Keep an eye out for Lyrica or drugs like it. The top of the power pyramid over at Doctor Conspiracy Building wants us off all benzos in 25 years I sense.

Oh, I take Klonopin 4mg BTW. And Seroquel WILL NEVER be an apt replacement for benzos. No AP or AD will. Nor will beta blockers or clonidine.
Sorry doctors everywhere who prescribe Seroquel for everything under the damn sun, it may work for some people, but you're really just being unethical.

This post has been edited by Spencer: 15 April 2010 - 03:53 PM

[crtclms]

Wow, I haven't seen the word "Librium" in years. That is a really old one, my dad used it in the 60s.

[Raquin]

What about Miltown? Isn't that a benzo? made famous by VALLEY OF THE DOLLS? And also one of the many drugs a rather lax psych put me on, heh.

[notfred]

Raquin, on 16 April 2010 - 09:18 AM, said:

What about Miltown? Isn't that a benzo? made famous by VALLEY OF THE DOLLS? And also one of the many drugs a rather lax psych put me on, heh.

Nope, not a benzo.

nf

[nalgas]

From what I remember, there are even more of them out there than in nf's list, just not commonly used. I want to say there have been something like 40 of them at various points, not all of which ever saw actual use. I'm not sure there's a whole lot more to be done with them. Similar classes of meds like the nonbenzodiazepines, which are chemically related but not quite the same, are still being actively studied, though, and they have various combinations of benzo-like effects, including some that are more selective and seem to have anti-anxiety properties while not being sedating or causing memory problems, for example. So, the field isn't dead or anything, but "pure" benzos may be kind of tapped out at this point (although they still work quite well for a lot of people and get plenty of use).