Diazepam is metabolized by Cytochrome P450 enzymes, but there are no in vitro or clinical observations pointing to significant capacity for CYP-induction or irreversible CYP-inhibition. There are 18 EPNET reports on uneventful use of diazepam.

The chemical name for diazepam is chlorometylphenyl benzodiazepin-2-one.

Diazepam has anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, sedative and muscle relaxant properties, and is used in the treatment of anxiety syndrome, acute alcohol abstinence symptoms, central and peripheral muscle spasms, epileptic state, tetanus, acute excitation and sedation prior to operation or diagnostic measures. Diazepam can be administered via oral, parenteral or rectal formulations.

Diazepam is mainly metabolized by CYP 2C19 under generation of the desmethyl metabolite norazepam, temazepam and oaxzepam, which are eliminated in glucuronide forms. There are no pharmacokinetic or drug interaction data in support of capacity for diazepam or its metabolites for significant CYP-induction or irreversible CYP-inhibition.

Thunell S: 3 reports of uneventful use.

Kauppinen (1992): used uneventfully by two patients with acute porphyria. Diazepam have been suspected to have contributed to cause porphyrick attacks in two AIP patients (Shipton (1984) and Stiefelhagen (2000)), but the attacks where poorly documented and other factors could have contributed to the attacks. These reports have therefore not been taken into account in the judgement of the porphyrinogenicity of diazepam.

Uneventful use reported in 18 patients with acute porphyria.