Hypnotic, or soporific drugs, commonly known as sleeping pills, are a class of psychoactive drugs whose primary function is to induce sleep and to treat insomnia (sleeplessness).
Memantine, sold under the brand name Namenda among others, is a medication used to slow the progression of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease. It is taken by mouth.
Doxepin is a medication belonging to the tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) class of drugs used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic hives, and insomnia. For hives it is a less preferred alternative to antihistamines. It has a mild to moderate benefit for sleeping problems. It is used as a cream for itchiness due to atopic dermatitis or lichen simplex chronicus.
Trazodone, sold under many brand names, is an antidepressant medication, used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and insomnia. It is a phenylpiperazine compound of the serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI) class. The medication is taken orally.
Amisulpride, sold under the brand names Solian and Barhemsys, is a medication used in the treatment of schizophrenia, acute psychotic episodes, depression, and nausea and vomiting. It is specifically used at lower doses intravenously to prevent and treat postoperative nausea and vomiting; at low doses by mouth to treat depression; and at higher doses by mouth to treat psychosis.
Ramelteon, sold under the brand name Rozerem among others, is a melatonin agonist medication which is used in the treatment of insomnia. It is indicated specifically for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep onset. It reduces the time taken to fall asleep, but the degree of clinical benefit is small. The medication is approved for long-term use. Ramelteon is taken by mouth.
SB-649868 is a dual orexin receptor antagonist that was being developed by GlaxoSmithKline as a treatment for insomnia.
The orexin receptor (also referred to as the hypocretin receptor) is a G-protein-coupled receptor that binds the neuropeptide orexin. There are two variants, OX1 and OX2, each encoded by a different gene (HCRTR1, HCRTR2).
Orexin receptor type 2 (Ox2R or OX2), also known as hypocretin receptor type 2 (HcrtR2), is a protein that in humans is encoded by the HCRTR2 gene. It should not be confused for the protein CD200R1 which shares the alias OX2R but is a distinct, unrelated gene located on the human chromosome 3.
Almorexant (INN), also known by its development code ACT-078573, is an orexin antagonist, acting as a competitive antagonist of the OX1 and OX2 orexin receptors, which was being developed by the pharmaceutical companies Actelion and GSK for the treatment of insomnia. Development of the drug was abandoned in January 2011 due to concerns over the hepatic safety of almorexant after transient increases in liver enzymes were observed in trials.
Nelotanserin is a drug developed by Arena Pharmaceuticals which acts as an inverse agonist on the serotonin receptor subtype 5-HT2A and was under development for the treatment of insomnia. It was shown to be effective and well tolerated in clinical trials, but development was halted in December 2008 because the substance did not meet the trial's effectiveness endpoints. Research continues on newer analogues which may potentially be more successful.
Suvorexant, sold under the brand name Belsomra, is an orexin antagonist medication which is used in the treatment of insomnia. It is indicated specifically for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep onset and/or maintenance in adults. Suvorexant helps with falling asleep faster, sleeping longer, being awake less in the middle of the night, and having better quality of sleep. Its effectiveness is modest, and is similar to that of other orexin antagonists, but is lower than that of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs. Suvorexant is taken by mouth.
An orexin receptor antagonist, or orexin antagonist, is a drug that inhibits the effect of orexin by acting as a receptor antagonist of one (selective orexin receptor antagonist or SORA) or both (dual orexin receptor antagonis or DORA) of the orexin receptors, OX1 and OX2. Medical applications include treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia.
Filorexant (INNTooltip International Nonproprietary Name, USANTooltip United States Approved Name; developmental code name MK-6096) is an orexin antagonist which was under development by Merck for the treatment of insomnia, depression, diabetic neuropathy, and migraine. It is a dual antagonist of the orexin OX1 and OX2 receptors. It has a relatively short elimination half-life of 3 to 6 hours. However, it dissociates slowly from the orexin receptors and may thereby have a longer duration. Possibly in relation to this, filorexant shows next-day somnolence similarly to suvorexant. In phase 2 clinical trials, filorexant was found to be effective in the treatment of insomnia, but was not effective in the treatment of major depressive disorder, painful diabetic neuropathy, or migraine. As of May 2015, filorexant was no longer listed on Merck's online development pipeline and hence development of the drug appears to have been discontinued. Development of filorexant may have been discontinued due to lack of differentiation from suvorexant (which was also developed by Merck).
Seltorexant, also known by its developmental code names MIN-202 and JNJ-42847922, is an orexin antagonist medication which is under development for the treatment of depression and insomnia. It is a selective antagonist of the orexin OX2 receptor (2-SORA). The medication is taken by mouth.
Lemborexant, sold under the brand name Dayvigo, is an orexin antagonist medication which is used in the treatment of insomnia. It is indicated specifically for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties with sleep onset and/or maintenance in adults. The medication is taken by mouth.
Daridorexant, sold under the brand name Quviviq, is an orexin antagonist medication which is used for the treatment of insomnia. Daridorexant is taken by mouth.
Vornorexant, also known by its developmental code names ORN-0829 and TS-142, is an orexin antagonist medication which is under development for the treatment of insomnia and sleep apnea. It is a dual orexin OX1 and OX2 receptor antagonist (DORA). The medication is taken by mouth. As of June 2021, vornorexant is in phase 2 clinical trials for insomnia and phase 1 trials for sleep apnea. It is under development by Taisho Pharmaceutical.
Nivasorexant is an orexin antagonist medication which is under development for the treatment of binge eating disorder and was previously under development for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Tebideutorexant (developmental code names JNJ-61393215, JNJ-3215) is an orexin antagonist medication which is under development for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. It is an orally active compound and acts as a selective antagonist of the orexin OX1 receptor (1-SORA). Preliminary clinical findings suggest that tebideutorexant may have anti-panic effects in humans. As of June 2023, tebideutorexant is in phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of major depressive disorder while no further development has been reported for treatment of panic disorder and other anxiety disorders. The drug was originated and developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals.
