Alprazolam

chemical compound: potent, short-acting anxiolytic of the benzodiazepine class; a minor tranquilizer

Alprazolam, probably better known by its trade name Xanax, is a short-acting drug. The drug is used to treat people with anxiety disorders and panic attacks. Alprazolam is the most commonly misused benzodiazepine (the drug's class) in the United States; but the majority of prescribed users do not develop a substance-use disorder. Alprazolam is a prescription drug in the United States.

Alprazolam
Clinical data
PronunciationAlprazolam /ælˈpræzəlæm/ or /ælˈprzəlæm/, Xanax /ˈzænæks/
Trade namesXanax, Xanor, Niravam, others
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa684001
Pregnancy
category
Dependence
liability
High
Routes of
administration
By mouth
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability80–90%
Protein binding80%
MetabolismLiver, via cytochrome P450 3A4
Metabolitesalpha-hydroxyalprazolam, 4-hydroxyalprazolam, beta-hydroxyalprazolam
Onset of actionless than an hour[1]
Elimination half-lifeImmediate release: 4–6 hours
Extended release: 11–16 hours
Duration of action6 hours[1]
ExcretionKidney
Identifiers
  • 8-Chloro-1-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a] [1,4]benzodiazepine
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ECHA InfoCard100.044.849 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC17H13ClN4
Molar mass308.77 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
  • ClC1=CC2=C(C=C1)N3C(C)=NN=C3CN=C2C4=CC=CC=C4
  • InChI=1S/C17H13ClN4/c1-11-20-21-16-10-19-17(12-5-3-2-4-6-12)14-9-13(18)7-8-15(14)22(11)16/h2-9H,10H2,1H3 checkY
  • Key:VREFGVBLTWBCJP-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  (verify)

Sources change

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lilley, Linda Lane; Snyder, Julie S.; Collins, Shelly Rainforth (2016). Pharmacology for Canadian Health Care Practice. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 329. ISBN 9781771720663.