Comparative Study On the Effect of Zopiclone and Flurazepam

Anxiety disorders are among most frequent mental disorders encountered by Clinicians. Untreated anxiety may result in increase health care utilization, morbidity, mortality and poorer quality of life. Individual with GAD, social phobias and panic disorder show less satisfaction with their quality of life. Basolateral amygdale has been implicated in anxiety generations. Mutations in Sk3 (calcium channel) are suspected to be underlying cause of severe neurological disorder including anxiety. Therapeutic effects of benzodiazepine are usually or often sustained over months or years, with the need for increased dosage in the treatment of GAD and panic disorders. Flurazepam is a hypnotic agent useful for the treatment of insomnia characterized by frequent nocturnal awakening and other insomnia symptoms such as trouble falling or staying sleep. It acts on BZ1 and BZ2 receptor sites. The mechanism of action of zopiclone is similar to benzodiazepines, but it wines more selectively to BZ1 receptor with similar effects on locomotor activity and on dopamine and serotonin turnover. Zopiclone although molecularly different from benzodiazepines, shares an almost identical pharmacological profile as benzodiazepines including anxiolytic properties. The present study is designed to assess two drugs of different classes that act through same receptor against control for their effects on some of the behavioral activities. Results indicated that zopiclone produced reduction in anxiety more than flurazepam.