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Zopiclone

Zopiclone (Trade names: Imovane, Lunesta) is a novel hypnotic agent used in the treatment of insomnia. It was first introduced in 1988 by Rhône-Poulenc S.A., now part of Sanofi-Aventis. Zopiclone is a controlled substance in the United States, Canada, and some European countries, and may be illegal to posess without a prescription.

While it acts on the BZ2 receptor and is a short-acting hypnotic agent, it is not a benzodiazepine, but a cyclopyrrolone derivative, belonging to a novel chemical class which is structurally unrelated to existing hypnotics.

On April 4, 2005, the DEA listed zopiclone under Schedule IV, due to some evidence that the drug has addictive properties similar to benzodiazepines.

Adverse Reactions

The side-effects most commonly seen in clinical trials is taste alteration (bitter taste).

More Common Reactions:

* Gastrointestinal: bitter taste, dry mouth.

* Nervous System: drowsiness, headaches, fatigue.

Less Common Reactions:

* Gastrointestinal: heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, coated tongue, bad breath, anorexia or increased appetite, vomiting, epigastric pains, dyspepsia.

* Cardiovascular: palpitations in elderly patients.

* Skin: urticaria, tingling.

Miscellaneous: blurred vision, micturition, mild to moderate increases in serum transaminases and/or alkaline phosphatase have been reported very rarely.

Reproductive: impotence, ejaculation failure.

Nervous system: agitation, anxiety, loss of memory including retrograde amnesia, confusion, dizziness, weakness, somnolence, asthenia, feeling of drunkenness, euphoria, depression, coordination abnormality, hypotonia, speech disorder, hallucinations (auditory and visual), behavioural disorders, aggression, tremor, rebound insomnia, nightmares.

The information above is not intended for and should not be used as a substitute for the diagnosis and/or treatment by a licensed, qualified, health-care professional. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It incorporates material originating from the Wikipedia article "Zopiclone".

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