Pazinaclone is a nonbenzodiazepine partial agonist. Animal work has shown that it has anxiolytic and anticonvulsant activity. Pazinaclone does not, however, produce the sedative, muscle relaxant, or motor coordination effects seen with diazepam (Waka and Fukada 1991). Phase II clinical trials are currently under way in the United States, Europe, and Japan, which have so far demonstrated that it is well tolerated and seems to cause significantly less sedation than do benzodiazepines (Uchiumi et al. 1992).
