GABA(A) receptors are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels involved in fast inhibitory neurotransmission and are allosterically modulated by the anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and sedative-hypnotic benzodiazepines. Here we show that the prokaryotic homolog ELIC also is activated by GABA and is modulated by benzodiazepines with effects comparable to those at GABA(A) receptors. Crystal structures re...

The aim of this study was to validate a new method for determining benzodiazepines in urine via their benzophenone derivatives, based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Selected benzodiazepines were analysed after acid hydrolysis of urine and extraction by ethyl acetate in the presence of an internal standard. Samples were analysed using electrospray ionization LC-MS/...

Screening for benzodiazepines is routinely performed by immunochemical analysis such as enzyme immunoassay. However, the wide range of therapeutic and toxic concentrations of the different benzodiazepines and their extensive metabolisation and conjugation hamper the design of an immunoassay protocol that can detect all benzodiazepines and their corresponding urinary metabolites. Only a few inve...

OBJECTIVES To determine the risk of injury associated with the new use of individual benzodiazepines and dosage regimens in the elderly. DESIGN Prospective database cohort study with 5 years of follow-up. SETTING Quebec, Canada. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred fifty-three thousand two hundred forty-four persons aged 65 and older who were nonusers of benzodiazepines in the year before follow-up. ...

AIM The aim of this study was to analyze the use of benzodiazepines in the period of 2003-2013 year in the Republic of Macedonia (MKD). METHOD The study was cross sectional and analyzes the available data on the use of benzodiazepines in the country. This study used several sources of data: Statistical Reports of the United Nations regarding the consumption of psychotropic substances; data fr...

A simple and high-throughput method to simultaneously determine selected benzodiazepines (i.e., diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, and bromazepam) in urine was developed and validated. The entire methodology consisted of the application of an innovative extraction/cleanup procedure, namely liquid-liquid extraction with low-temperature partitioning (LLE-LTP), and analysis by liquid chromatography ...

This study was designed to validate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method for the detection of nine benzodiazepines in hair. Sixteen hair case samples were tested from drug-related deaths where a positive benzodiazepine blood result was obtained. The case samples were decontaminated with 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate, dis...

Paradoxal reactions to benzodiazepines may be presented in different ways. In some persons, primarily older persons and children, especilally with coexisting somatic disorders, paradoxal reactions may be manifested as logoroic speech, unapropriate social behaviour, and psychomotor agitation. Although benzodiazepines lower levels of agression, few studies described that in some persons levels of...

INTRODUCTION Convulsive status epilepticus is a common emergency condition in paediatric practice. Classically, it is defi ned as continuous or recurrent seizure activity lasting for longer than 30 min in which the patient does not regain baseline mental status.1 Commonly, intervention is recommended after only 5 min of seizure activity2 as neuronal damage may begin to occur after this period, ...

The benzodiazepines have now been available to the clinician for over 20 years, since the introduction of chlordiazepoxide (Librium) in 1960. The broad and unique spectrum of activity of these compounds as anxiolytics, hypnotics/sedatives, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants, together with their low toxicity and an essential absence from peripheral side-effects, has resulted in compounds of th...