Systematic (IUPAC) name
ethyl 4-(butylamino)-1-ethyl-6-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carboxylate
Clinical data
Legal status
  • Uncontrolled
Routes Oral
CAS number
ATC code None
Chemical data
Formula C16H24N4O2 
Mol. mass 304.387 g/mol

Tracazolate (ICI-136,753) is an anxiolytic drug which is used in scientific research. It is a pyrazolopyridine derivative, most closely related to pyrazolopyrimidine drugs such as zaleplon, and is one of a structurally diverse group of drugs known as the nonbenzodiazepines which act at the same receptor targets as benzodiazepines but have distinct chemical structures.[1]

Tracazolate has primarily anxiolytic and anticonvulsant effects, with sedative and muscle relaxant effects only appearing at higher doses.[2] It has a unique receptor binding profile involving allosteric modulation of several GABAA receptor subtypes, being selective for GABAA receptors containing α1 and β3 subunits, but exhibiting different effects depending on the third type of subunit making up the receptor complex.[3]

See also


  1. ^ Patel JB, Malick JB, Salama AI, Goldberg ME. Pharmacology of pyrazolopyridines. Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behaviour. 1985 Oct;23(4):675-80. PMID 2866547
  2. ^ Patel JB, Malick JB. Pharmacological properties of tracazolate: a new non-benzodiazepine anxiolytic agent. European Journal of Pharmacology. 1982 Mar 12;78(3):323-33. PMID 6121711
  3. ^ Thompson SA, Wingrove PB, Connelly L, Whiting PJ, Wafford KA. Tracazolate reveals a novel type of allosteric interaction with recombinant gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors. Molecular Pharmacology. 2002 Apr;61(4):861-9. PMID 11901225