Trankimazin: uses and side effects of this anxiolytic

Trankimazin is one of the anxiolytic-type medications that is consumed most frequently. It is an immediate-acting benzodiazepine that is used to treat acute states of anxiety, among other conditions.

We will see in this article what trankimazin is and how it works, as well as its main side effects and contraindications.

• Related article: "Types of psychotropic drugs: uses and side effects"

What is Trankimazin and what is it for?

Trankimazin is the brand name of a psychotropic drug called "alprazolam." This same drug is in some places known as Xanax. It is an anxiolytic type medication, that is, it is used for the treatment of symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks.

The latter include different physiological reactions that occur constantly and whose control is beyond the will of the person. Specifically, it is prescribed for the treatment of clinical conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder and in some phobias such as social phobia.

In the same way, Trankimazin is used for the adaptive treatment and in the case of depressive disorders that present comorbidity with anxiety disorders. In the same vein, it is prescribed for the treatment of

anxiety states that accompany medical treatments, such as chemotherapies.

But it not only has effects as an anxiolytic. Being a drug with hypnotic properties, Trankimazin works as a muscle relaxant and anticonvulsant. This is derived from its pharmacological properties that place it in the category of benzodiazepines. We will now see how these types of drugs are defined.

Benzodiazepines

In general, anxiolytics have a depressant action on the central nervous system. At a specific level, they can have different effects depending on the type of anxiolytic in question. For example, benzodiazepines, prescribed for short-term anxiety attacks, are the most recently marketed anxiolytics, which replaced the barbiturates.

Previously, barbiturates were considered the main medicine to treat the symptoms of anxiety, however, have been gradually replaced by the large number of adverse effects that provoke.

Among the drugs that have replaced barbiturates is precisely Trankimazin, a benzodiazepine whose action is immediate; namely, acts quickly on the central nervous system, and for the same reason, its effects are short-lived (they can last between 12 and 24 hours).

The latter has represented an advantage over other anxiolytics, because, by acting quickly in the body, the need to take large amounts of the drug is reduced. Likewise, having a short duration the chances of generating drug dependence are reduced.

• Related article: "Benzodiazepines (psychotropic): uses, effects and risks"

Mechanism of action

Being a benzodiazepine, Trankimazin acts through the receptors of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The latter is one of the main neurotransmitters with inhibitory action.

When Trankimazin binds with GABA receptors, this inhibitory action is enhanced, generating sedative or anxiolytic effects in the central nervous system. Therefore, this drug is considered a benzodiazepine receptor agonist.

In other words, the Trankimazin reduces neuronal activation of some areas of the brain where GABA receptors are present; especially in the limbic system, which is the region associated with anxiety states.

• You may be interested: "Types of neurotransmitters: functions and classification"

Contraindications

Trankimazin is contraindicated in the case of people who have the following symptoms:

• Narrow angle glaucoma.
• Airway alterations.
• Myasthenia (autoimmune neuromuscular disease that generates weakness in voluntary skeletal muscles).
• Kidney or liver failure.

Likewise, it is recommended to suspend its use during pregnancy and lactation, due to the probability that this drug is transmitted in the placenta and in breast milk. It is also recommended to avoid the use of heavy machinery and take precautions when driving, due to its sedative effects.

Side effects

Despite the fact that benzodiazepines have reduced the possibility of suffering adverse effects as well as developing drug dependence (compared to barbiturates), these drugs still include the possibility of experiencing manifestations high schools.

In this sense, the main adverse effect caused by trankimazin is drowsiness, fatigue, and sedation accompanied by severe headaches and dizziness. For this reason, it can cause a decrease in alertness, and an alteration in attention or concentration. Along the same lines, trankimazin can cause difficulties to retain information in the short term, that is, it can cause some memory problems.

On a physiological level, side effects include vomiting, nausea, blurred vision, hypotension, tremors, urinary incontinence, and impaired libido. Other more serious but less frequent effects are sudden mood swings, hallucinations, suicidal ideation, aggressiveness or irritability, and intraocular pressure. In the same sense and as it can happen with other psychotropic drugs, there is the possibility of developing paradoxical effects (contrary to what would be expected) such as agitation, hyperactivity, restlessness or high states of anxiety.

On the other hand, it is advisable to reduce its intake gradually, to avoid a withdrawal syndrome or a sudden return of previous manifestations of anxiety. Likewise, an excessive intake of this medicine can lead to an overdose with cardiorespiratory insufficiencies.

Bibliographic references:

• Trankimazin tablet 0.5 mg (2015). Vademecum. Retrieved October 23, 2018. Available in https://www.vademecum.es/equivalencia-lista-trankimazin+tablet+0.5+mg-espana-n05ba12-es_1.
• Stevens, J.C. and Pollack, M.H. (2005). Benzodiazepines in clinical practice: consideration of their long-term use and alternative agents. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; 66 (2):21-7.