Ethoheptazine[1] (trade name Zactane) is an opioidanalgesic from the phenazepane family. It was invented in the 1950s[2] and is a ring expanded analogue of pethidine.[3]
Ethoheptazine produces similar effects to other opioids, including analgesia, sedation, dizziness, and nausea.[4] It was sold by itself as Zactane, and is still available as a combination product with acetylsalicylic acid and meprobamate as Equagesic, which is used for the treatment of conditions where both pain and anxiety are present.[5] It was also investigated for use as an antitussive.[6]
It is no longer prescribed, as it is no longer FDA approved, and not available for United States' Pharmacy Processing. Revocation of FDA Approved Medications Status stems from a combination of efficacy vs. toxicity, and the more-varied and historically safer benzodiazepines class. Only reversal of the FDA's decision, allows removing the drug from the CSD. Ethoheptazine is not listed as a controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, 1970 in the United States.[7] The controlled status (Schedule IV) of Equagesic was due to the meprobamate content.[8][7] Regulation elsewhere varies.
References
^ES 310184, "Procedure for the preparation of a new derivative of pirazolidine-hexametilenimina with therapeutic properties."
^Batterman RC, Golbey M, Grossman AJ, Leifer P (October 1957). "Analgesic effectiveness of orally administered ethoheptazine in man". The American Journal of the Medical Sciences. 234 (4): 413–9. doi:10.1097/00000441-195710000-00004. PMID13469802. S2CID32299049.
^Diamond J, Bruce WF, Tyson FT (January 1964). "Synthesis and Properties of the Analgesic DL-α-1,3-dimethyl-4-phenyl-4-propionoxyazacycloheptane (Proheptazine)". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 7: 57–60. doi:10.1021/jm00331a013. PMID14186026.
^Cinelli P, Zucchini M (March 1962). "[Current pharmaco-therapeutic possiblities in the treatment of pain. Experiments with ethoeptazine]". Minerva Medica (in Italian). 53: 637–42. PMID13879557.
^Scheiner JJ, Richards DJ (September 1974). "Treatment of musculoskeletal pain and associated anxiety with an ethoheptazine-aspirin-meprobamate combination (equagesic): a controlled study". Current Therapeutic Research, Clinical and Experimental. 16 (9): 928–36. PMID4214668.
