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Flunitrazepam
5-(2-Fluorophenyl)-1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-7-nitro-1,4-benzodiazepin-2-one IUPAC name
CAS number 1622-62-4	ATC code N05?
PubChem ?	DrugBank ?
Chemical formula	C16H12FN3O3
Molecular weight	313.3
Bioavailability	?
Metabolism	Hepatic
Elimination half-life	18-26 hours
Excretion	Renal
Pregnancy category	?
Legal status	Schedule III(US)
Routes of administration	Oral

Flunitrazepam (formerly marketed under the trade name Rohypnol in the United States) is a drug which is a benzodiazepine derivative. It has sedative, anxiolytic, and skeletal muscle relaxant properties.

Contents 1 History 2 Pharmacology 3 Medical Uses 4 Illegal Uses 4.1 Use as a date rape drug 4.2 Use for theft 4.3 Use as a recreational drug 5 Side Effects 6 Legal Status 7 See also 8 External Links

History

Flunitrazepam was first synthesized in the early 1970s by Roche and was used in hospitals when deep sedation was needed. It first entered the commercial market in Europe in 1975, and in the 1980s it began to be available in other countries.

It originally came in 1mg, 2mg, and 5mg sizes, but due to its potency and potential for abuse, the higher doses were taken off the market and it is now only available in 1mg.

Pharmacology

Like other benzodiazepines, flunitrazepam's pharmacological effects include sedation, muscle relaxation, reduction in anxiety, and prevention of convulsions. However, flunitrazepam's sedative effects are approximately 7 to 10 times more potent than diazepam. The effects of flunitrazepam appear approximately 15 to 20 minutes after oral administration, and last for approximately four to six hours. Some residual effects can persist up to 12 hours or more after administration.

Medical Uses

Flunitrazepam has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for medical use in the United States.

Illegal Uses

Use as a date rape drug

Flunitrazepam is known to induce retrograde amnesia in sufficient doses; individuals are unable to remember certain events that they experienced while under the influence of the drug. This effect is particularly dangerous when flunitrazepam is used to aid in the commission of sexual assault; victims may not be able to clearly recall the assault, the assailant, or the events surrounding the assault.

It is difficult to estimate just how many flunitrazepam-facilitated rapes have occurred in the United States. Very often, biological samples are taken from the victim at a time when the effects of the drug have already passed and only residual amounts remain in the body fluids. These residual amounts are difficult, and sometimes impossible, to detect using standard screening assays available in the United States. If flunitrazepam exposure is to be detected at all, urine samples need to be collected within 72 hours and subjected to sensitive analytical tests. The problem is compounded by the onset of amnesia after ingestion of the drug, which causes the victim to be uncertain about the facts surrounding the rape. This uncertainty may lead to critical delays or even reluctance to report the rape and provide appropriate biological samples for testing. If a person suspects that he or she is the victim of a flunitrazepam-facilitated rape, he or she should get laboratory testing for flunitrazepam as soon as possible.

Use for theft

In the United Kingdom, the use of flunitrazepam and other "date rape" drugs is becoming widespread as a means of sedating victims and stealing from them. It is estimated that up to 2000 men and women are robbed each year after being spiked with powerful sedatives [1], making drug-assisted robbery a more common problem than drug-assisted rape.

In December 2004, Selina Hakki was found guilty of using flunitrazepam to drug wealthy men and rob them of their clothes and accessories in the UK.

Use as a recreational drug

Although flunitrazepam has become widely known for its use as a date-rape drug, it is used more frequently as a recreational drug. It is used by high school and college students, street gang members, rave party attendees, and heroin and cocaine users (who call a dose of flunitrazepam a "roofie") for recreational purposes, including:

• To produce profound intoxication
• To boost the high produced by heroin, or ease the anxiety and/or sleeplessness of withdrawal
• To counteract the side effects of stimulants (e.g. insomnia, paranoia, jitteryness)
• To "soften" the so-called "crash" which follows heavy usage of stimulants, such as cocaine or methamphetamine

Flunitrazepam is usually consumed orally, and is often combined with alcohol. It is also occasionally insufflated (i.e. tablets are crushed into powder and snorted).

Side Effects

Flunitrazepam is considered to be one of the most addictive of the benzodiazepines. Its use causes several notable side effects, including:

• Drowsiness
• Loss of motor control
  • Dizziness
  • Lack of coordination
• Slurred speech
• Confusion
• Gastrointestinal disturbances, lasting 12 or more hours.
• Respiratory depression in higher doses

Long-term use of flunitrazepam can result in psychological and physical dependence and the appearance of withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued. Flunitrazepam impairs cognitive and psychomotor functions, affecting reaction time and driving skill. The use of this drug in combination with alcohol potentiates these side effects, and can lead to toxicity.

Legal Status

Flunitrazepam is a Schedule III drug under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances[2]. Flunitrazepam has never been approved for medical use in the United States, and it was placed into Schedule IV of the Controlled Substances Act in 1984, and was later moved to Schedule III.

According to FDA Associate Director for Domestic and International Drug Control Nicholas Reuter[3]:

Flunitrazepam was "temporarily controlled in Schedule IV pursuant to a treaty obligation under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. At the time flunitrazepam was placed temporarily in Schedule IV . . . there was no evidence of abuse or trafficking of the drug in the United States."

Rohypnol is currently under consideration to be moved to a Schedule I substance, and is considered as such in the States of Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

21 U.S.C. § 841 and 21 U.S.C. § 952 provide for very stiff prison terms for possession of flunitrazepam, including life in prison if death or serious bodily or emotional injury results from the use of flunitrazepam.

See also

• Progesterex

External Links

• Inchem - Flunitrazepam
• Molecule of the Month
• Statement on "Date Rape" Drugs by Nicholas Reuter, M.P.H., Mar. 11, 1999.