NS-2664 (LS-193,048) is an

anxiolytic An anxiolytic (; also antipanic or antianxiety agent) is a medication or other intervention that reduces anxiety. This effect is in contrast to anxiogenic agents which increase anxiety. Anxiolytic medications are used for the treatment of anxiet ...

drug with a novel chemical structure, developed by the small pharmaceutical company

NeuroSearch NeuroSearch A/S is a Danish biotechnology company specializing in pharmaceuticals for treating diseases and disorders affecting the central nervous system (CNS). History NeuroSearch was founded in Denmark in April 1989 as one of the first comp ...

. It has similar effects to

benzodiazepine Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), sometimes called "benzos", are a class of depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed to treat conditions such as anxiety disorders, ...

drugs, but is structurally distinct and so is classed as a

nonbenzodiazepine Nonbenzodiazepines (), sometimes referred to colloquially as Z-drugs (as many of their names begin with the letter "z"), are a class of psychoactive drugs that are very benzodiazepine-like in nature. They are used in the treatment of sleep proble ...

anxiolytic. NS-2664 is a potent but non-selective

partial agonist In pharmacology, partial agonists are drugs that bind to and activate a given receptor, but have only partial efficacy at the receptor relative to a full agonist. They may also be considered ligands which display both agonistic and antagonis ...

at GABA_A receptors, although with little efficacy at the α1 subtype and more at α2 and α3. It has potent

anticonvulsant Anticonvulsants (also known as antiepileptic drugs or recently as antiseizure drugs) are a diverse group of pharmacological agents used in the treatment of epileptic seizures. Anticonvulsants are also increasingly being used in the treatment of ...

effects in animal studies, but a relatively short duration of action, and produces little

sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement. They are CNS depressants and interact with brain activity causing its deceleration. Various kinds of sedatives can be distinguished, but ...

effects or physical dependence.

References

Anxiolytics 3-Furyl compounds Benzimidazoles Imidazoles GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators {{Anxiolytic-stub