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Phenazepam

Raw research findings for this medication. Mostly single studies, not curated or confirmed robust.

About Phenazepam

What it is

Phenazepam is a potent, long-acting benzodiazepine developed in the Soviet Union and prescribed in Russia and some neighbouring countries for anxiety, insomnia, alcohol withdrawal and epilepsy. It is not approved in Western Europe or the US, where it has appeared as an unregulated 'designer' drug.

How genes come into it

Phenazepam is broken down in the liver, partly by CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. The gene studies on it, from Russia, looked at CYP2C19 for its effects in people treated for alcohol withdrawal and anxiety. The findings come from a few studies, and there is no CPIC or DPWG guideline.

What research found

Every published finding on gene variants and Phenazepam. Upload your DNA file to see which of these rows apply to you.

Rated evidence (1 rated variant)

PharmGKB weighs all studies of a variant and rates how strong the evidence is, from 1A (strongest) to 4.

CYP2C19 rs12248560: Level 3. Efficacy: Alcohol abuse. 1.

Response (2 findings)

Studies of how well it worked in people carrying a variant.

CYP2C19 CYP2C19*1, CYP2C19*17: CYP2C19 *17 is associated with decreased clinical benefit to phenazepam in men with Alcoholism and Anxiety Disorders as compared to CYP2C19 *1.

CYP2C19 rs12248560: Genotypes CC + CT are associated with increased response to phenazepam in men with Alcohol-Related Disorders as compared to genotype TT.

Study findings and evidence levels: PharmGKB (CC BY-SA 4.0). Guidelines: CPIC and DPWG, as bundled in PharmCAT. Most studies were done mainly in people of European ancestry.

Related Drugs

More drugs from the same category

Ativan (Benzodiazepines)

Benzodiazepines (class) (Benzodiazepines)

Byfavo (Benzodiazepines)

Not a prescribing recommendation. This page is educational information about pharmacogenomic research and clinical guidelines - it is not medical or dosing advice, and not a prediction of how any medication will work for you. Never start, stop, or change a medication or dose based on it; talk to your doctor or pharmacist, who can order clinical-grade testing if appropriate.

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Content updated September 2026.

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