Sedative Sleep Aid Suvorexant MK-4305/[email protected]

Description

Suvorexant is a novel sedative hypnotic drug that is prescribed to promote sleep in patients with insomnia. It is a CNS depressant and blocks the binding of wake-promoting neuropeptides orexin A and orexin B to the two orexin receptors, thus, altering the signaling of orexin in the brain and suppressing the sleep-wake drive.

Suvorexant is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant and can impair daytime wakefulness even when used as prescribed. Prescribers should monitor for somnolence and CNS depressant effects, but impairment can occur in the absence of symptoms, and may not be reliably detected by ordinary clinical exam. CNS depressant effects may persist in some patients for up to several days after discontinuing Suvorexant.

Hypnotic drugs

Suvorexant is a new hypnotic drug developed by the US pharmaceutical giant Merck. Unlike other hypnotics, instead of being administrated on demand like general hypnotics (that is, they are taken only when needed), Merck's Suvorexant is a therapeutic drug, should be subject to long-term administration.

Orexins usually transduces a variety of sobering messages for the human body, being the culprit leading to insomnia. Suvorexant can block Orexins to send messages, it is helpful to better sleep.

Professor Andrew Krystal from the Center for Medical Research at Duke University said Merck's drug would become a new drug favored by patients.
Darryle Schoepp, the head of neurology and ophthalmology at Merck, says the drug is especially suitable for patients who have been unable to sleep all night and have received little benefit from existing medications.

Suvorexant, sold under the trade name Belsomra, is a medication for the treatment of insomnia.It is effective for insomnia, at least for four weeks and as compared to a placebo.