SHEET /vs/zolpidem-vs-temazepam · COMPARISON
Zolpidem vs Temazepam: what is the difference?
How they differ
from source
Both act on the GABA-A receptor and both are prescribed for insomnia, and zolpidem is the more selective of the two. Temazepam is a full benzodiazepine and binds across the receptor subtypes, so it carries the anxiety-reducing and muscle-relaxing effects of the class along with the sedation. Zolpidem is an imidazopyridine, not a benzodiazepine at all, and favours the alpha-1 subtype that mediates sedation specifically, which is why it does comparatively little for anxiety. Zolpidem also acts and clears faster, with a half-life near 2.5 hours against temazepam's 8 to 10. Both are controlled substances in the US.
Side by side
| Zolpidem | Temazepam | |
|---|---|---|
| Formula | C19H21N3O | C16H13ClN2O2 |
| Molecular weight | 307.4 g/mol | 300.74 g/mol |
| Family | Sleep medicines | Benzodiazepines |
| Everyday group | Prescription medicine | Prescription medicine |
| Functional groups | Aromatics, Amides | Alcohols, Aromatics, Amides, Halogenated |
| GHS signal wordThe supplier-filed hazard label, not a statement about ordinary use. | Warning | Warning |
| Oral LD50A single acute animal measure. It ranks nothing about human safety. | 695 mg/kg (oral, rat) | 1,833 mg/kg (oral, rat) |
| CAS number | 82626-48-0 | 846-50-4 |
| PubChem CID | 5732 | 5391 |
Common questions
- What is the difference between Zolpidem and Temazepam?
- Both act on the GABA-A receptor and both are prescribed for insomnia, and zolpidem is the more selective of the two. Temazepam is a full benzodiazepine and binds across the receptor subtypes, so it carries the anxiety-reducing and muscle-relaxing effects of the class along with the sedation. Zolpidem is an imidazopyridine, not a benzodiazepine at all, and favours the alpha-1 subtype that mediates sedation specifically, which is why it does comparatively little for anxiety.
- Is Zolpidem bigger than Temazepam?
- Zolpidem is the heavier molecule, 307.4 g/mol against 300.74 g/mol for Temazepam. Zolpidem is C19H21N3O and Temazepam is C16H13ClN2O2.
- Which has the lower reported LD50, Zolpidem or Temazepam?
- Zolpidem, at 695 mg/kg (oral, rat), against 1,833 mg/kg (oral, rat) for Temazepam. An LD50 is one acute animal measurement, and the two here were not necessarily measured in the same species, so it is a data point rather than a ranking of how dangerous either is to a person.