Clonazepam belongs to the group of benzodiazepine drugs. This medicine used to treat bipolar mania, anxiety disorder and seizures which are associated with psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, epilepsy, and restless leg syndrome.
It is tranquilizer of the benzodiazepine class and anxiolytic, hypnotic, and sedative properties. It also shows srotonergic activity by increasing serotonin synthesis.
Clonazepam patented in 1960 and sold in 1975 from Roche in the United States.
Some Important factors of Clonazepam
Drug Mechanism
Clonazepam is long acting high-potency benzodiazepine which behaves as a GABA-A receptor agonist. Benzodiazepine make easier action to GABA-A by increasing the frequency of chloride channel and opens and in hyperpolarization of the neurons and reduce firing, and decrease excitability which helps to develop calming effects on the brain.
Clonazepam also has serotonergic activity by producing and increasing serotonin synthesis.
Form: Oral tablet
Strength:
- 0.5 mg
- 1 mg
- 2mg
Form: Oral disintegrating form
Strength:
- 0.125 mg
- 0.25 mg
- 0.5 mg
- 1 mg
- 2 mg
Panic Disorder
Clonazepam provides a significant recovery in panic disorder patients who are with or without agoraphobia.
Clonazepam may cause of low effect in rebound anxiety upon cessation than other benzodiazepines because it has longer half-life. It is also used in treatment of severe panic attacks.
Acute Mania
Clonazepam has anticonvulsant and serotonin agonist activity which are associated with antimanic effect and helps to treat acute mania.
Clonazepam reduces the need of antipsychotic drugs and decreases the risk of side effects in the patients. Benzodiazepine and antipsychotic haloperidol combination consider as a most useful treatment in acute agitation.
Seizure Disorders
Clonazepam symptoms are such as epilepsy and treatment to complex seizures or absence seizures. It effects to control minor motor of seizure of childhood like petit mal absences, Lennox gastaut syndrome and infantile spasms.
It is also used in treatment of grand mal, focal motor seizures, and myoclonic epilepsy seizures.
For panic disorder and restless legs syndroms Clonazepam drug takes around 1 hour to start working.