Bretazenil

Bretazenil was originally developed as an anti-anxiety drug, but never commercialised. It is a partial agonist for GABAA receptors in the brain. David Nutt from the University of Bristol has suggested bretazenil as a possible base from which to make a better social drug, having the good effects of alcohol (relaxation and socilability), without the bad effects (aggression, amnesia, nausea, loss of coordination, liver disease). Its effect can be quickly reversed by the action of flumazenil, which is in use as an antidote to diazepam poisoning.

However, while less addictive than diazepam, long-term use of bretazenil would probably result in an addiction more severe than alcohol addiction; while the physical effects of of bretazenil addiction are minor, a consequence of long-term use of such an alcohol substitute would probably be mental deterioration more severe than seen in long-term recreational alcohol users. Bretazenil, were it to be made commercially available, would probably be classed as a controlled substance, eg. Schedule IV or Schedule V in the USA.

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