A Controlled Comparison of Nitrazepam (‘Mogadon’) with Sodium Amylobarbitone as a Sleep-inducing Agent

Abstract

Nitrazepam (Mogadon), a benzodiazepine compound, chemically related to diazepam (Valium) and chlordiazepoxide (Librium) is a recently introduced sleep-inducing agent. Other studies (Baum et al., 1965; Fraser and Shepherd, 1966), found it to be both safe and effective. It is thought to induce sleep by “shielding the brain centre responsible for waking from emotioned stimuli”, and is therefore of particular interest for psychiatric illness. This study is a clinical comparison with sodium amylobarbitone, using a double-blind cross-over technique.