Tofizopam: a benzodiazepine derivative without sedative effect.

In a single-blind randomized study 47 patients received 100 mg tofizopam orally as a premedication before minor surgery, 50 patients received placebo, an 50 patients no premedication. Both tofizopam and placebo significantly increased the subjective sedative effect of the patients, but there was no significant difference in any of the measured parameters between tofizopam and placebo. In another double-blind randomized study, 49 patients received 100 mg tofizopam three times orally before gynecologic operations and 49 patients received placebo. Compared with placebo, tofizopam had a stimulant action and decreased the excitement of the patients. The effect of tofizopam on apprehension + excitement was significantly better than that of placebo. According to these results, the active component seems to be an unknown metabolite of tofizopam causing a clear drug effect only after repeated oral doses of the parent drug. A slow accumulation in the central nervous system is also possible. In the drug response a wide interindividual variation was found.