In this Chapter:
7.1. Benzodiazepine receptor agonists
7.2. Melatonin receptor agonists
7.3. Hypnotics - non-selective CNS depressants
Hypnotics facilitate falling asleep and provide necessary sleep duration.
Drugs of different pharmacological groups are used as hypnotics. The traditional hypnotics (barbiturates, some aliphatic compounds) that have been used for a long time, are drugs of a non-selective depressant action on the CNS. In low doses they have a sedative1 effect, in medium doses - hypnotic effect, and in high doses - an anesthetic one. They are not used for general anesthesia due to their narrow margin of safety and long-term action that make it impossible to control the depth of the general anesthesia (see Fig. 6.1).
Currently, the most frequently used hypnotics are anxiolytics (tranquillizers) of the benzodiazepine series, which belong to the class of psychotropic drugs (see Chapter 11.4).
Hypnotic drugs have an inhibitory action on the interneuronal (synaptic) transmission in various structures of the CNS (for example, in the cerebral cortex, afferent pathways, limbic system). Each group of hypnotic drugs is characterized by a certain site of action.
Hypnotic drugs are classified according to the principle of their action and chemical structure.
I. Benzodiazepine receptor agonists
1. Benzodiazepine derivatives
- Nitrazepam
- Lorazepam
- Nozepam
- Temazepam
- Diazepam
- Phenazepamum
- Flurazepamum
2. Drugs of different chemical structure («nonbenzodiazepine» compounds)
- Zopiklon
- Zolpidem
II. Melatonin receptor agonists
1. A synthetic analogue of melatonin
- Rameltone
III. Hypnotics - non-selective CNS depressants
1. Heterocyclic compounds