Etifoxine / Stresam

[Jay1]

Anyone heard of this? Sounds quite interesting as an alternative to benzos.

As it acts at a different target site to benzodiazepines (but still tagretting the all important GABA-a receptors), there is a possiblility that you could do, say, 2 weeks on a benzo then 2 weeks on Etifoxine for a long time without getting addicted or tolerent to either. (I'm no doctor, so will need to ask my neuro about that).

If we could mask our symptoms for ever, without addiction or tolerence building... then that is a cure, right?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etifoxine

I have an appointment mid March, so will find out and report back.

[VisualDude]

Always exciting to hear about a new drug (though this one has been around for decades). Axonal regeneration is always an eye grabber. Unfortunately this is limited to peripheral nerves, not the brain. Still, since it changes cholesterol use as part of its repair mechanism, theoretically it might be useful for primary demyelination (damage to axons but not destruction of them).

This is the main article I found: http://www.pnas.org/content/105/51/20505.full.pdf+html But there are others testing the psychological effects on humans (some even a single dose).

With so little reported about it – this is annoying/discouraging. Especially the report of liver toxicity. The above link reports: "However, TSPO ligands experimentally shown to exert beneficial actions on the peripheral nervous system have not found clinical utility, and possible side effects are a concern for their clinical use". Perhaps this is why it is not available in the USA (not FDA approved). [However FDA approvals are somewhat politically driven – afterall, this med is from France, not by local ‘big pharma’]

Amazing that wiki claims "It is more effective than lorazepam as an anxiolytic, and has fewer side effects" At first glance this sounds great. But effectiveness depends in part on relative dose and on persistence. The latter does seem superior from reports. But one must carefully weigh liver effects.

Still, this has important potential and any liver concerns could be modulated by minimal dosing and liver support. It is now on my list to try. Thanks for the scoop!

[balance]

I thought you had already tried it?

http://hppdonline.com/index.php?/topic/351-etifoxine/

[Jay1]

haha, seems you are right.... my memory is bad... I guess I should write this stuff down properly.

[balance]

All good, I was a bit confused haha.