Current status, mechanism and research progress of major sedative-hypnotic drugs for the treatment of insomnia

Abstract

Insomnia, a widespread condition in modern society, has seen a rise in its affected population in recent years. Prolonged insomnia not only causes anxiety and depression but also impairs individuals’ work and study efficiency while posing a threat to their physical health. Drug therapy is the predominant treatment for insomnia, encompassing drugs such as barbiturates, benzodiazepines, novel non-benzodiazepines, melatonin receptor agonists, melatonin, and orexin receptor antagonists. However, concerns arise due to the significant side effects, ease of tolerance development, dependency issues, and rebound phenomena upon drug discontinuation for some of these medications. Hence, there’s an urgent need for the research and development of novel hypnotic-sedative drugs that offer minimal toxic side effects, excellent tolerance, and reduced dependency. This paper presents a review of the mechanisms and research advancements of key sedative-hypnotic drugs in recent years. Furthermore, based on conformational relationships, we aim to predict the structure of these novel drugs, providing a valuable reference for drug research and development, while offering diverse drug options tailored to different patient needs.