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Types of Benzos

Updated: Feb 27, 2023


The following list includes most benzodiazepines, z-drugs, and thienodiazepines on the market today and lists their generic name followed by other information, if available, including the most common brand name, other brand names, market focus, speed of onset, half-life, and equivalency.


The Ashton Manual is the primary source for the data on this page, supplemented by other sources as listed in the references section at the bottom of the page. Values for half-life and other data points can vary significantly based on source and by individual.

LEGEND

  1. Onset – The duration of time until the drug initially takes effect.

  2. Half-Life – The amount of time it takes for half of the initial dose to be left in the blood. Active metabolite is shown in square brackets if available.

  3. Equivalency (potency) – The equivalency value is as compared to 10 mg of diazepam. For example, 0.5 mg of alprazolam roughly equals 10 mg of diazepam. Thus, the lower the equivalency value, the higher the potency of the drug.

Equivalency information provided is only an approximation. DO NOT USE for substitution calculations.

Scroll down for list of Z-drugs

Benzodiazepines


adinazolam (Deracyn)

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Depression

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 3 hours

alprazolam (Xanax)

  • Other Brand Names: Alprax,, Alprox, Alprocontin, Alzam, Alzolam, Anzilum, Apo-Alpraz, Helex, Kalma, Misar, Mylan-Alprazolam, Neurol, Niravam, Novo-Alprazol, Nu-Alpraz, Onax, Pacyl, Restyl, Solanax, Tafil, Tranax, Trankimazin, Trika, Xycalm, Xanor, Zolam, Zopax

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Depression

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 6–12 hours

  • Equivalency: 0.5 mg

bromazepam (Lexotan)

  • Other Brand Names: Brazepam, Bromam, Bromaze, Lectopam, Lexatin, Lexaurin, Lexilium, Lexomil, Lexotanil, Rekotnil, Somalium

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Insomnia / Amnesia (Surgical)

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 10–20 hours

  • Equivalency: 5-6 mg

camazepam (Paxor)

  • Other Brand Names: Albego, Limpidon

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 6–30 hours

chlordiazepoxide (Librium)

  • Other Brand Names: Apo-chlordiazepoxide, Corax, Elenium, Medilium, Nova-Pam, Nova-Poxide, Risolid, Solium

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Alcohol Withdrawal

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 5–30 hours [36–200 hours]

  • Equivalency: 25 mg

cinolazepam (Gerodorm)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 9 hours

clobazam (Frisium)

  • Other Brand Names: Onfi, Tapclob, Urbanol

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Seizures

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 12–60 hours

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

clonazepam (Klonopin)

  • Other Brand Names: Iktorivil, Paxam, Rivatril, Rivotril

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Seizures / Muscle Relaxant

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 18–50 hours

  • Equivalency: 0.5 mg

clorazepate (Tranxene)

  • Other Brand Names: Apo-Clorazepate, Gen-Xene, Novo-Clopate, Tranxillium

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Seizures

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: [36–200 hours]

  • Equivalency: 15 mg

cloxazolam (Akton)

  • Other Brand Names: Lubalix, Olcadil, Sepazon

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Seizures

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 65 hours

delorazepam (Dadumir)

  • Other Brand Names: EN

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Amnesia (Surgical)

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 80–115 hours

diazepam (Valium)

  • Other Brand Names: Antenex, Apaurin, Apo-Diazepam, Apozepam, Apzepam, D-Pam, Diazemuls, Diazepan, Ducene, E Pam, Hexalid, Meval, Normabel, Novo-Diapam, Pax, PMS-Diazepam, Pro-Pam, Stesolid, Vival, Vivol, Valaxona

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Seizures / Muscle Relaxant

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 20–100 hours [36–200 hours]

  • Equivalency: 10 mg

estazolam (ProSam)

  • Other Brand Names: Nuctalon, Tasedan

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Insomnia

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 10–24 hours

  • Equivalency: 1-2 mg

ethyl loflazepate (Victan)

  • Other Brand Names: Meliax, Ronlax

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 70–120 hours

flunitrazepam (Rohypnol)

  • Other Brand Names: Flunipam, Fluscand, Hipnosedon, Hypnodorm, Rohydorm, Rohypnol, Ronal, Vulbegal

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 18–26 hours [36–200 hours]

  • Equivalency: 1 mg

flurazepam (Dalmane)

  • Other Brand Names: Apo-Flurazepam, Dalmadorm, Fluzepam, Novo-Flupam, PMS-Flupam, Som Pam, Somnol

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: [40–250 hours]

  • Equivalency: 15-30 mg

flutazolam (Coreminal)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 4 hours

flutoprazepam (Restas)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia / Seizures

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 60–90 hours

halazepam (Paxipam)

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: [30–100 hours]

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

haloxazolam (Somelin)

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

ketazolam (Anxon)

  • Other Brand Names: Solatran

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 30–100 hours [36–200 hours]

  • Equivalency: 15-30 mg

loprazolam (Dormonoct)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 6–12 hours

  • Equivalency: 1-2 mg

lorazepam (Ativan)

  • Other Brand Names: Apo-Lorazepam, Lorabenz, Lorenin, Lorsilan, Novo-Lorazepam, Nu-Loraz, Orfidal, PMS-Lorazepam, Pro-Lorazepam, Tavor, Temesta

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Insomnia / Seizures / Muscle Relaxant / Amnesia (Surgical)

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 10–20 hours

  • Equivalency: 1 mg

lormetazepam (Noctamid)

  • Other Brand Names: Loramet, Pronoctan

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 10–12 hours

  • Equivalency: 1-2 mg

medazepam (Nobrium)

  • Other Brand Names: Ansilan, Mezapam, Raporan, Rudotel

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 36–200 hours

  • Equivalency: 10 mg

mexazolam (Sedexil)

  • Other Brand Names: Melex

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Intermediate

midazolam (Versed)

  • Other Brand Names: Dormicum, Dormonid, Hypnovel

  • Market Focus: Insomnia / Seizures / Amnesia (Surgical)

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 1–6 hours

  • Equivalency: 7 mg (oral)

nimetazepam (Erimin)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 14–30 hours

nitrazepam (Mogadon)

  • Other Brand Names: Alodorm, Dumolid, Insomna, Nitrados, Nitrazadon, Pacisyn

  • Market Focus: Insomnia / Seizures

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 15–38 hours

  • Equivalency: 10 mg

nordazepam / nordiazepam (Nordaz)

  • Other Brand Names: Calmday, Madar, Stilny

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 36–200 hours

  • Equivalency: 10 mg

oxazepam (Serax)

  • Other Brand Names: Alepam, Apo-Oxazepam, Benzotran, Murelax, Novo-Oxazepam, Opamox, Oxabenz, Oxapax, Oxascand, Oxpam, PMS-Oxazepam, Serafax, Serapax, Serenid, Seresta, Sobril, Zapex

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 4–15 hours

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

phenazepam (Phenazepam)

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 60 hours

pinazepam (Domar)

  • Other Brand Names: Duna

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: 40–100 hours

prazepam (Centrax)

  • Other Brand Names: Lysanxia

  • Market Focus: Anxiety

  • Onset: Long

  • Half-life: [36–200 hours]

  • Equivalency: 10-20 mg

quazepam (Doral)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 25–100 hours

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

temazepam (Restoril)

  • Other Brand Names: Euhypnos, Nocturne, Normison, Sompam, Temaze, Temtabs, Tenox

  • Market Focus: Anxiety / Insomnia / Muscle Relaxant

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 8–22 hours

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

tetrazepam (Myolastan)

  • Market Focus: Muscle Relaxant

  • Onset: Intermediate

  • Half-life: 3–24 hours

triazolam (Halcion)

  • Other Brand Names: Apo-Triazo, Gen-Triazolam, Hypam, Novo-Triolam, Rilamir, Tricam

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 2 hours

  • Equivalency: 0.5 mg


Nonbenzodiazepine (Z-drugs)


eszopiclone (Lunesta)

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 6 hours (9 in elderly)

  • Equivalency: 3 mg

zaleplon (Sonata)

  • Other Brand Names: Stamoc

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 2 hours

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

zolpidem (Ambien)

  • Other Brand Names: Nytamel, Sanval, Stilnoct, Stilnox, Sublinox, Xolnox, Zoldem, Zolnod

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 2 hours

  • Equivalency: 20 mg

zopiclone (Zimovane)

  • Other Brand Names: Imovane, Rhovane, Ximovan, Zileze, Zimoclone, Zopiklone, Zopitan, Zorclone

  • Market Focus: Insomnia

  • Onset: Short

  • Half-life: 5–6 hours

  • Equivalency: 15 mg

References

  1. Ashton, C. Heather. Benzodiazepines: How They Work and How to Withdraw (aka The Ashton Manual). 2002. Accessed April 13, 2016. http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual/.

  2. “Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Support: Substitution.” BenzoBuddies. Accessed March 1, 2017. http://www.benzobuddies.org/benzodiazepine-withdrawal-methods/substitution/.

  3. Foster, D E. Benzo Free: The World of Anti-Anxiety Drugs and the Reality of Withdrawal. Erie, Colorado: Denim Mountain Press, 2018. https://easinganxiety.com/book.

  4. “Generic Benzodiazepines and Brand Equivalents.” BenzoBuddies. Accessed March 1, 2017. http://www.benzobuddies.org/benzodiazepine-information/benzo-list/.

  5. Government of South Australia: Drug and Alcohol Services. “Benzodiazepine Equivalents.” SA Health. DASSA:00107. August 2014. Accessed July 11, 2018. https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/83838b80407711959274ba222b2948cf/Benzodiazepine+equivalents-DASSA-August2014.pdf (link no longer available).

  6. U.K. National Health Service (NHS). “Guidance for Prescribing and Withdrawal of Benzodiazepines & Hypnotics in General Practice.” NHS Grampian. October 2006. Reviewed October 2008. https://www.benzo.org.uk/amisc/bzgrampian.pdf.

  7. “PubChem Open Chemistry Database.” NIH: U.S. National Library of Medicine: National Center for Biotechnology Information. (Access dates vary depending on drug being researched). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/.

  8. Wikipedia (varied).

For Information Purposes Only – Not Medical Advice


All information presented on Easing Anxiety is for informational purposes only, and should never be considered medical or health advice. Withdrawal, tapering, or any change in dosage of benzodiazepines or any other prescription drugs should only be done under the direct supervision of a licensed physician.


Please read our site disclaimer for more information.



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