The Chemistry and Effects of Benzodiazepines (BZD)

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Benzodiazepines (BZD) represents an important class of compounds of a wide range of pharmacological effects and therapeutic uses. This project discusses the classification, mechanism of action, major pharmacological effects and adverse reactions of BZD. It also reports on the chemical synthesis and important physicochemical properties of BZD. The influence of the chemical structure’s modification of BZD upon drug's potency, physicochemical characteristics, pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism were elucidated. A problem of drug abuse of BZD either alone or in combination with other central nervous system (CNS) depressants was reviewed. Forensic analysis of BZD in biological samples for screening and confirmation of BZD abusers in forensic settings was demonstrated and the most important analytical techniques used for screening and measurement of BZD in forensic laboratory were described. In this project, selected gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Liquid Chromatography- Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) spectra of diazepam (MS lab, Prof M. Abdel-Hamid) for confirmation and quantitation of diazepam are presented. 1. Introduction: BZD are a group of chemically synthetic compounds that were firstly synthesized in late fifties. BZD share a common chemical structure features and their importance comes with relation to their effect on the CNS. BZD are known best to work by depressing the central nervous system and show an important role being used for several purposes such as, hypnotics, sedatives, antiepileptics and muscle relaxants. The emergence of benzodiazepines seemed to be very helpful due to their potent effect and low toxicity compared to barbiturates. Although being relatively safe compounds, drug depend... ... middle of paper ... ...ad/201105_import/20110509050.pdf 20. Fitzgerald, R., Rexin, D., & Herold, D. (1994). Detecting benzodiazepines: Immunoassays compared with negative chemical ionization gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. CLINICAL CHEMISTRY, 40(3), 373-380. 21. Boeck, G., samyn, N., Morris, M., & Wood, M. National Institute of Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC), Toxicology (2002). Development of a rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of benzodiazepines in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. Manchester, UK: MICROMASS. 22. Jones, C., Wlans, F., Martinez, L., & Merritt, G. (1989). Benzodiazepines identified by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, with specific ion screening used to detect benzophenone derivatives. Clinical Chemistry, 35(7), 1394-1398. Figure 3. Structure activity relationships of 1,4-benzodiazepines, Adapted from (6)

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