Posted by Larry Hoover on April 26, 2007, at 8:12:09
In reply to Chemistry, antidepressant effects and xanax, posted by sisss42 on April 26, 2007, at 4:44:48
> Can anyone tell me what chemical is responsible for the marked antidepressant effect I feel when I take this drug so far I have found that
>
> XANAX Tablets contain alprazolam which is a triazolo analog of the 1,4 benzodiazepine class of central nervous system-active compounds.
>
> The chemical name of alprazolam is 8-chloro-1-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-s-triazolo [4,3-I] [1,4] benzodiazepine.
>
> Regards
> SisYou've already answered yourself, although you may not have realized that. The chemical is called alprazolam when it is being discussed by non-chemists, or as 8-chloro-1-methyl-6-phenyl-4H-
1,2,4-triazolo(4,3-a)(1,4)benzodiazepine when it is being discussed by chemists. Alprazolam is the trivial, or common name, for the specific chemical you're thinking about. The other one is the systematic, or IUPAC name, for the same molecule. The systematic name you provided is a little out of date, if anyone notices subtle differences.Here's a picture of the chemical: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alprazolam
If you look at that diagram, which is meant to represent the layout of atoms within the molecule (chemical), you'll appreciate that there are specific sequences and arrangements of individual atoms. Every alprazolam molecule has this arrangement. Nitrogen atoms and chlorine are represented by the N and Cl symbols, respectively. To make the structure less confusing, hydrogen atoms are left off entirely (13 of those), and everywhere else, at the end of any line that has no letter symbol, there is a carbon atom (17 altogether). The diagram is further simplified by being a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional object.
It is a very complicated molecule. It is a single chemical, however. And only that specific chemical has those specific properties (whatever they might be).
Of all the benzodiazepine drugs, alprazolam is most often associated with an antidepressant effect. As far as I know, nobody has ever shown why that is the case. It is used, however, as an antidepressant augmentative alongside antidepressant medication.
I cannot suggest any substitute for that drug, if you cannot obtain that specific one from your treating physicians.
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:753187
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070426/msgs/753558.html