rand d

TWO WAYS TO SLEEP INDUCTION

Quazepam: the pharmacological approach .. When the benzodiazepine hypnotic quazepam [Sch 16.1 34; Schering US] was given to 15 chronic insomniacs in doses of

7 .S-45mg night ly for J nights, the highest dose produced

effects on sleep from the first night onwards. while the lower doses of 7 .S- 15ms had no significant effects until the third

night, At all doses there was evidence of accumulation, although a sedative 'carryover ' effect, upon abrupt withdrawal

of the drug, wa.'i seen only on the highest dose. TielZ, E.I. et a!.: An:oeimittel·Forsch\ln& 31: (96) (Nov 1981)

and OSIP: a more physiological approach? Delta·sleep-inducing peptide (OSIP) is a synthetic nonapeptide

which induces delta-EEG sleep, slow wave sleep and rapid eye movemenl (REM) sleep in a physiological, rather than

pharmacologicaJ. manner. Six volunteers were given a single dose of 25nmol/ kg (2 1.23J.1g/ kg) IV ovcr 20 min, in the

morning, when spontaneous sleep would not be expected.

Saline was also given under double-blind, crossover conditions. Immediately followin g the DSIP infusion,S subjects felt a

'pressure to sleep' , with feelings of warmth, heaviness, dry

mouth , deep respiration and (in I case) headache and some

nausea. Over the next 130 min, subjects slept for a mean 47.25

min13.5-lI9.5 minhner DSIP and ror 29.75 min (0-108 .5

min) after placebo. Over the next 2-4 hours, alertness remained unimpaired <relative to placeoo) and there were no differences

in mood, cunrentration or sleepiness during the rest of the day.

However, that same night, subjects were found to h.ave a more

rapid sleep onset, longer deep sleep (stage II, slow wave sleep,

REM sleep) and shorter light sleep (stage I). The initial sleepiness immediately after tbe injecLion was descr ibed as 'pleasant' and quite different from the sedative

effects of other drugs. Natural sleep, that night, was considered

'more efficient' and DSIP clearly sustains its enhancing effect on natural sleep for some time after its administration. One subject , who slept less well during the experimental day and

night, slept better the following night in<>tead. Schneider·Helmert, D . et aI. , International Journal of ainical Pl\ilrnlacology,

Ther .. py and Toxiool"KY 19, 341 (Aug 19811

0156-2703/81/ 1205_0005 $00.50/0 O AD.S Press INPHARMA 5 De<: 1981 5

rand d

TWO WAYS TO SLEEP INDUCTION

Quazepam: the pharmacological approach .. When the benzodiazepine hypnotic quazepam [Sch 16.1 34; Schering US] was given to 15 chronic insomniacs in doses of

7 .S-45mg night ly for J nights, the highest dose produced

effects on sleep from the first night onwards. while the lower doses of 7 .S- 15ms had no significant effects until the third

night, At all doses there was evidence of accumulation, although a sedative 'carryover ' effect, upon abrupt withdrawal

of the drug, wa.'i seen only on the highest dose. TielZ, E.I. et a!.: An:oeimittel·Forsch\ln& 31: (96) (Nov 1981)

and OSIP: a more physiological approach? Delta·sleep-inducing peptide (OSIP) is a synthetic nonapeptide

which induces delta-EEG sleep, slow wave sleep and rapid eye movemenl (REM) sleep in a physiological, rather than

pharmacologicaJ. manner. Six volunteers were given a single dose of 25nmol/ kg (2 1.23J.1g/ kg) IV ovcr 20 min, in the

morning, when spontaneous sleep would not be expected.

Saline was also given under double-blind, crossover conditions. Immediately followin g the DSIP infusion,S subjects felt a

'pressure to sleep' , with feelings of warmth, heaviness, dry

mouth , deep respiration and (in I case) headache and some

nausea. Over the next 130 min, subjects slept for a mean 47.25

min13.5-lI9.5 minhner DSIP and ror 29.75 min (0-108 .5

min) after placebo. Over the next 2-4 hours, alertness remained unimpaired <relative to placeoo) and there were no differences

in mood, cunrentration or sleepiness during the rest of the day.

However, that same night, subjects were found to h.ave a more

rapid sleep onset, longer deep sleep (stage II, slow wave sleep,

REM sleep) and shorter light sleep (stage I). The initial sleepiness immediately after tbe injecLion was descr ibed as 'pleasant' and quite different from the sedative

effects of other drugs. Natural sleep, that night, was considered

'more efficient' and DSIP clearly sustains its enhancing effect on natural sleep for some time after its administration. One subject , who slept less well during the experimental day and

night, slept better the following night in<>tead. Schneider·Helmert, D . et aI. , International Journal of ainical Pl\ilrnlacology,

Ther .. py and Toxiool"KY 19, 341 (Aug 19811

0156-2703/81/ 1205_0005 $00.50/0 O AD.S Press INPHARMA 5 De<: 1981 5