What is "quazepam"

n. (context pharmacy English) A benzodiazepine derivative used to treat insomnia.

Quazepam (marketed under brand names Doral, Dormalin) is a benzodiazepine derivative drug developed by the Schering Corporation in the 1970s. Quazepam is indicated for the treatment of insomnia including sleep induction and sleep maintenance. Quazepam induces impairment of motor function and has hypnotic and anticonvulsant properties with less overdose potential than other benzodiazepines. Quazepam is an effective hypnotic which induces and maintains sleep without disruption of the sleep architecture. Quazepam is a trifluoroalkyl type of benzodiazepine, like fletazepam, halazepam, triflubazam and triflunordazepam. Quazepam is unique amongst benzodiazepines in that it selectively targets the GABA α subunit receptors which are responsible for inducing sleep. Its mechanism of action is very similar to zolpidem and zaleplon in its pharmacology and can successfully substitute for zolpidem and zaleplon in animal studies.