Apo-Lorazepam Mechanism of Action

Pharmacotherapeutic Group: Anxiolytic-Sedative.
Pharmacology: Lorazepam is an active benzodiazepine with a depressant action on the CNS. It has anxiolytic and sedative properties which are of value in the symptomatic relief of pathologic anxiety in patients with anxiety disorders giving rise to significant functional disability but is not considered indicated in the management of trait anxiety.
Lorazepam is rapidly and completely absorbed after oral administration, reaching mean peak plasma levels at approximately 2 hours.
Lorazepam is rapidly conjugated to a glucuroride which has no demonstrable psychopharmacological activity and is excreted mainly in the urine. The serum half-life of the conjugate varied between 16 to 20 hours. Very small amounts of other metabolites and their conjugates have been isolated from urine and plasma.
Most of the drug (88%) is excreted in the urine, with 75% excreted as the glucuronide. At clinically relevant concentrations, approximately 85% of lorazepam is bound to plasma proteins.
Anterograde amnesia, a lack of recall of events during the period of drug action, has been reported and appears to be dose-related.